


Shatterpoint

by Ranger_Nova



Category: Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Genre: BLoSC, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 04:31:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 67
Words: 302,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6038113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ranger_Nova/pseuds/Ranger_Nova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of events are set in motion which threaten to sweep away everything Team Lightyear holds dear, while Zurg finds himself on the cusp of achieving the victory he's dreamed of for so long. It soon becomes clear that anything can shatter in an instant, even the things we love most.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Prologue**

He lay on the hard ground, breathing heavily as pain continued to course through his body. Somewhere in the distance, he heard a ship’s engine roaring to life. She was leaving, and taking with her the coordinates he desperately needed.

 _I should’ve brought Hornets with me. They would have stopped her._ But he hadn’t thought it necessary—what danger could an old woman pose to the evilest man in the galaxy?

An awful lot, apparently. He was certain his left arm was broken, and the blow to his chest felt as if it had cracked a rib or two. If not for his battle armour, the damage would have been far worse. His legs still ached too much for him to rise, leaving him with no choice but to crawl with his uninjured arm across the rocky landscape. His ship lay not far ahead, but each yard looked like a mile from his position. Thunder rumbled up above as he steeled himself and began the journey.

The jagged rocks caught on his cape, shredding holes as he progressed. At least he was spared the indignity of an audience. No one would ever know what had happened. When he returned to Planet Z, his medical staff would be given some cover story and threatened into secrecy for added measure.

A gust of wind blew ash into his face, stinging his eyes and making him cough. All around, he could feel heat rising from the rivers of lava that crisscrossed the region. It had seemed as good a place as any for a private rendezvous—an inhospitable world with no native inhabitants. And, more importantly, it was a world he was familiar with, thanks to that unpleasant incident with Klerm and Rentwhistle Swack. Now, as he clawed forward, dragging himself over sharp rocks and drifts of fallen ash, he wished he’d chosen somewhere with softer ground.

She would have a lot to answer for if he ever found her. Not just for this ordeal, but a thousand others he never would have had to endure if she and her cohorts had only listened to him. One day he would deal with each of them personally for what they’d done. But first he needed to get those coordinates...

His fingers closed around the ramp leading into the shuttle. Gasping and grunting, he pulled himself up, rolling inside the ship and curling up against the wall as he recovered his strength. She and her friends weren’t the only ones he owed payback. So many others had wronged him. There was a time he remembered each name... now they all blurred together.

He had grown so lax over the years. He finally had the power to deal with many of his foes, and what had he done with that power? He’d played a childish game of heroes and villains with Star Command! Had he forgotten his anger? Had he forgotten the things they’d put him through? He’d become so set in his ways he didn’t even know what he was fighting for anymore.

But no more. That was all going to change. Zurg grasped a pipe that ran across the wall and shut his eyes to brace himself. He was not weak. With an agonised groan, he pulled himself to his feet. He was strong.

Taking one step, then another, he reached the front of the shuttle. He was strong.

He settled in the chair. He was strong, and he would win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is. Three years ago today I started this fic, and now it's finally finished! The idea of writing an epic BLoSC story to wrap up the series has been simmering in my brain since forever, and I'm proud to finally be able to cross it off my bucket list. 
> 
> A big thank you to Steel for giving me the initial idea that eventually developed into this fic, and also for just being an awesome person. allislaughter and AleineSkyfire are also wonderful people, who have given me a lot of encouragement over the years and been amazing friends. MemoryDragon deserves a special shout out too for cheering me on through much of the writing process, despite not being in the BLoSC fandom herself.
> 
> And finally, I suppose I should thank everyone who worked on BLoSC for making this stupid cartoon which has had such a profound effect on my life. I never would've met all the lovely people listed above without it, so thanks for that!


	2. Chapter 1

_"Congratulations,_ Captain _Lightyear." Ty Parsec raised his glass. "To Star Command’s newest and best team."_

_"That’s us!" Rocket Crockett clinked his glass against Ty’s, and Buzz and Warp followed suit._

_"Guys," laughed Buzz, glancing around the balloon-filled apartment, "you really didn’t have to go to all this trouble. A cake would have been enough."_

_Warp grinned and punched him in the arm. "And miss a chance to party? Are you crazy?"_

_Buzz rolled his eyes, but smiled back at his friend. "And here I thought you threw together this celebration out of the goodness of your heart."_

_"Nah, no way. My motives are never that pure." Warp smirked. "But, uh, hey, all the same... congratulations. I think the four of us are gonna make a great team, and there’s no one I’d rather have as our captain than you—well, except for myself, of course," he added, winking. "It’s gonna be fun working together."_

_There were nods of agreement from the other two Rangers._

_Touched, Buzz raised his own glass. "And there’s nobody I’d rather have on my team than the three of you. To the future."_

_"To the future," toasted his friends._

* * *

"Alright, who forgot the bread rolls?" Pulling her head out the paper grocery bag, Mira brushed a stray strand of hair out her eyes and glared at the other three Rangers gathered in Buzz’s kitchen. "How am I supposed to make the burgers without them?"

XR extended his legs to reach the counter and looked into the bag. "They must be in there somewhere—I _know_ we brought them!"

"Don’t worry, I got ‘em!" Booster set another grocery bag down beside the first, and Mira caught the scent of freshly-baked bread.

"Great!" she beamed. "Did you remember the ketchup?"

Booster nodded eagerly. "And the napkins and paper plates. We should have everything we need!"

"Then let’s get the old grill fired up!" Buzz led the team out to the backyard.

The hot summer sun shone down on them when they stepped outside, tempered by a soft breeze that danced across the hedges and trees—there couldn’t have been a more perfect afternoon for a barbecue. Mira immediately sank into a deck chair, waiting for Buzz to get the grill ready so she could start cooking. Booster and XR found a ball and started a game of catch, yelling happily as they rushed back and forth across the lawn.

"We should do this more often," Mira observed, idly watching their antics. "You know, hang out together like this..."

Buzz, preoccupied with the grill, shot a brief glance in her direction. "We go to Cosmo’s together every day."

"Yeah," she admitted "but that’s not the same. This... this isn’t just four co-workers having lunch together. This is four friends choosing to spend an afternoon with each other.

Nodding, Buzz adjusted one of the dials. "It is nice, isn’t it, Princess?"

"My name is _Mira_." She threw a napkin at him playfully. "How many times have we been through this?"

"Well then, _Mira_ ," said Buzz, stepping away from the barbecue, "bring on the food! This baby’s ready to go!" He scrutinised her carefully as she put the burgers on. "Don’t change the temperature—I’ve got it just right!"

"Buzz, c’mon, it’s too hot!"

"Who’s the captain here, Ranger—me or you? I was frying burgers alongside Nana Lightyear before you were even born and I know what I’m doing right down to the smallest—"

"But you’re not the one cooking this time, are you?" Mira countered. "Remember what happened last time, at the Star Command picnic? You got distracted yelling at XR because he was trying to take bets on who would win the next sack race, and then the food caught fire and thirty Rangers were left with nothing to eat besides one lousy snack bowl full of peanuts! That’s why we agreed I would handle lunch this time. So out of my way!"

Buzz was about to object, but their conversation was cut short by the sound of breaking glass. Mira spun around and had to stifle a laugh when she saw what had happened. Shards of glass were falling away from a hole that had been smashed through one of the second storey windows, while a very guilty-looking XR stood nearby.

"S-sorry, Buzz." He shrugged, trying to appear innocent. "That wasn’t supposed to happen."

Mira giggled. She should’ve known it was only a matter of time before XR and Booster got into some kind of trouble.

Sighing, Buzz answered, "It’s okay... Just be more careful next time."

"You got it, skipper!" Quickly retrieving the ball and sweeping all the broken glass into a corner, XR returned to his game with Booster. "Bet you’ll never catch this one!" Extending his arms, he stretched them back and launched the ball, sending it soaring far out of the Jo-Adian’s reach.

"Hey, no fair!" Booster pouted, picking up the ball when it finally landed. "Buzz, XR keeps cheating!"

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Guys!" Mira called, laughing as she flipped the food off the grill. "The first burgers are done! Better get here quick before Buzz eats ‘em all!"

Booster dropped the ball and charged over, XR following behind less ravenously. Soon they were all clustered around the table, wolfing down burgers (or oil in XR’s case), while Mira continued to cook more, occasionally pausing for a quick snack of her own.

"Mmm, Mira, these are great!" said Booster in-between mouthfuls.

"Thanks." She shot a triumphant grin at Buzz. "Not bad for a princess, eh? At least they’re not _burned_."

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, I got it. Just keep them coming, I’m starving!"

After downing his oil, XR leaned across the table. "Y’know, I can’t remember the last time we were able to take a Friday off like this. Heck, I can’t even remember the last time we were able to take _any_ time off! Usually we have some Zurg plot to foil."

"It’s sure been very quiet lately, hasn’t it, Buzz?" mused Booster.

Buzz narrowed his eyes. "Mm."

His suspicious tone didn’t slip past Mira, and she eyed him with a frown. Now was _not_ the time for Buzz to get started on Zurg.

"It is a good thing, right?" Booster began to look nervous.

"Maybe, Booster, maybe. Then again, maybe not. I don’t like it when Zurg’s _too_ quiet."

Setting another plate of burgers on the table with enough force to get Buzz’s attention, Mira shook her head at her captain. "Oh, come on, Buzz. We can worry about Zurg another day! Let’s just relax, alright? Like XR said, we hardly ever get any time off."

Buzz opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again. "I guess you’re right. I’m not going to let Zurg spoil our afternoon. Booster, pass the sauce."

The subject of Zurg was dropped, and the rest of the barbecue passed peacefully. Mira had to work double-time to keep up with Booster’s appetite, and even Buzz managed to cram down a good few helpings as he laughed and joked with his team. Once he forgot Zurg, her captain’s rigid, militaristic posture faded and he was no longer the pride of Star Command—he was just Buzz Lightyear, an ordinary man. It had long been Mira’s contention (no matter how much Buzz disagreed and said he choose work over play any day) that he’d be happier if he could just learn to relax. She smiled, feeling vindicated as she watched him collapse against his chair in a fit of laughter over something XR had said.

When most people saw Buzz, all they saw was the uniform. Even Buzz himself had trouble looking past it. But Mira could see there was more to him than that—at his core, he was just a regular person like everyone else. He did crosswords in the morning, he cheered when his favourite sports team won a game, he collected model spaceships, and he had a girlfriend who he was crazy about. No one did him any favours by putting him on a pedestal. He may have been the greatest hero in the galaxy, but she wanted him to see that other things mattered too. If Buzz had one flaw, it was his obsession with duty... and with Zurg. Wanting to bring down the emperor was one thing, but Buzz sometimes took his arch enemy relationship with Zurg to unhealthy levels.

Mira herself didn’t get it. Zurg was just one of many criminals in the galaxy—the most powerful, perhaps, but she wouldn’t even class him as the worst. There was so much more to being a Ranger than just fighting Zurg. There was the adventure, the excitement, the glory... and the knowledge that you were making the galaxy a better place, one mission at a time. Buzz certainly knew that. He as was all about justice after all, even more so than she was (Buzz seemed to take _everything_ to extremes)—but she still worried that he let his fixation get the best of him at times.

Looking at him right then, though, she could see he was happily grounded in reality for once. All thoughts of Zurg were far away, and all that mattered were the simple joys of ordinary life. The four of them were together, not a care in the world, just being themselves and having fun. Turning off the grill, Mira listened to all the happy chatter around her and let herself sigh contentedly. She could live in that moment forever.

Later, long after the last of the burgers were gone, stars began to twinkle in the sky and the heat of the day gave way to the coolness of evening. A few smells still lingered from the grill, and messy paper plates and napkins were scattered across the table, but the barbecue was officially over. Booster lay stretched out on the grass, gazing up at the constellations, Buzz had started to clean up the mess, XR was reading a magazine, and Mira herself was lounging in a deckchair. Few sounds could be heard besides the chirping of crickets; each Ranger seemed lost in their own thoughts.

Mira took a deep breath, smelling the night air, and a smile passed across her face as she watched XR join Booster on the grass. The two friends stared at the sky together and talked. She couldn’t hear what their conversation was about, but they seemed as carefree and relaxed as she’d ever seen them.  

Meanwhile, Buzz had finished clearing the table, and sat down in a chair next to her. "Some day, huh?"

"Yep." Turning away from XR and Booster, she folded her hands behind her head and flashed a grin at Buzz. "A good day. See, not everything has to revolve around Star Command or Zurg. When was the last time you had fun like this?"

"Last time I defeated Zurg?" Buzz shook his head in amusement and settled back against the chair. His expression changed. "But... you know, it’s funny, but now that you mention it... this reminds me of another day, about twenty years ago. When I was promoted to captain. We had a small party to celebrate—me, Rocket, Ty... and Warp. We were all there." A smile crept over his face as he reminisced. "It was loads of fun. There were balloons and streamers and even a cake. And at the end of the day, we all sat back and relaxed, just like the four of us are doing now." The smile faded. "We were friends. Good friends. And now look at us... When I try to figure out when went wrong, it always comes back to one thing—me."

Mira put her hand on his shoulder. "It’s not your fault. There were a lot of reasons the four of you drifted apart. I mean, nothing lasts forever, right? You weren’t responsible for Warp leaving, for one thing. Besides, look at you and Ty—you’re friends again, aren’t you? It’s... it’s not so bad."

He shrugged. "Yeah, sure. But I realise now that I made a lot of mistakes back then." He looked at his two teammates sprawled on the lawn, then at Mira. "I’m just glad I got a second chance. You three are the greatest."

Mira beamed. "Thanks, sir."

The quietness of the night was suddenly shattered by an incessant beeping from inside the house. "Sounds like the vidphone," sighed Buzz, rising and stepping through the open door.

Mira followed, pausing along the way to gather the items Buzz has stacked in a neat pile on the table. The plates and napkins went into the trash as soon as she entered the kitchen, then she dumped the cutlery in the sink and grabbed a bottle of Crater Cola from the refrigerator, sipping it as she lingered in the doorway while Buzz answered the call.

The Star Command emblem was flashing urgently over the vidscreen, giving way to Nebula’s face when Buzz answered. The commander’s brow was lowered and his eyes hollow, almost frightened—an emotion Mira had never before observed in the man’s usually stern face. She frowned, leaning closer so she could hear what he had to say.

"Sir." Buzz saluted.

"Lightyear." His voice was unnaturally hushed.

"Something wrong, sir?" Buzz asked.

Mira stepped closer, sipping her drink as she listened.

"Very wrong." The commander took a deep breath. "It’s the president. She... Sweet Mother of Venus, I still can’t believe it... Buzz, she’s dead."

The bottle slipped from Mira’s hand, smashing to the floor in an explosion of glass and liquid.

* * *

Suited up, all cheeriness gone from their faces, Team Lightyear arrived at the Alliance Plaza. Crowds had gathered already, amongst them reporters, other Space Rangers, and members of the local law enforcement agencies. Rubble was scattered around the Plaza and in the streets. Everywhere Mira looked, she saw shards of metal, blocks of concrete, severed cables, and sometimes the remains of furniture. But most of the debris was charred and unrecognisable.

She gasped when she saw the side of the Senate itself. A hole had been blown through the wall, leaving the rooms on that side in ruins, while electricity sparked from bare wiring in the walls. Wisps of smoke curled up from the debris and in a few place small fires were still blazing, casting a eerie red glow over the grim scene. Commander Nebula was standing on the steps, issuing a statement to the press. The team hung back and waited for him to finish.

"H-how can this be happening, Buzz?" Booster was looking to his hero for answers.

Buzz shrugged helplessly. "I don’t know, Booster."

Her arms wrapped around herself, Mira surveyed the damage once again, shuddering. "This is horrible."

"There... there must be some kind of mistake or something," muttered XR. "She couldn’t really be dead..."

"It’s no mistake." Finished with the press, Nebula made his way to the team. "At around nineteen hundred hours this evening, a bomb went off in the Alliance Senate building. Somehow, someone snuck it through security and into the president’s office without raising the alarm. She was in there, finishing the last of her work before she went home." He looked at them grimly. "The whole room was destroyed, as well as several of the adjacent offices. Fortunately, most of the other dignitaries had already left, so no one else was injured, but..." He breathed out a deep sigh. "Forensics is still going over the place, trying to find remnants of the explosive. I doubt they’ll have any luck—the bomb was pretty thorough. Whoever planted it didn’t want us to find anything that could be traced back to them."

After a long moment of silence, Buzz spoke up. "What do you want us to do, sir?"

Nebula slammed his fist down on the palm of his hand. "Find whoever did this! There are already lots of folks working on this case, but I want _you_. If anyone can find the assassin, it’s you four! You’re the best we got. So get on it!"

"Yes, sir!" They saluted.

"You can start by questioning everyone who visited the president’s office today. The other investigators think it was an outsider who planted the bomb, but I dunno. I got a hunch this was an inside job." He handed Buzz a sheet of paper. "This is a list of everyone who went to see the president before the bomb went off. They’ve already been questioned, but it wouldn’t hurt for you to see you if you can uncover anything new."

"Understood, sir."

While Buzz and Booster went on ahead, XR lagged behind with Mira. "So... what do you make of all this?" the robot asked, his voice shaky.

Mira bit her lip. "I-I have no idea. I just can’t believe this has happened. She... she’s dead... the president is dead." She gulped. It didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be. Surely she’d wake up any second now and find it was all a bad dream. "What are we going to do?"

"Eh, we’ll pull through okay, right? W-we always have in the past..."

Mira shook her head. "But this isn’t like anything that’s happened in the past. This is worse."

"Well... look on the bright side," XR shrugged. "At least we won’t have any more boring presidential escort assignments, am I right?"

"XR!" Mira slapped his dome. Her hand stung, but she felt better for having shut him up, though a pang of guilt came over her when she saw the fear in his eyes.

"I’m sorry," he mumbled.

She put an arm around him. "Me too—I shouldn’t have done that. We’re both just having trouble dealing with this. But things w-will be okay, XR, I promise." It was harder for him to accept, she realised. Sometimes she forgot he was only a few years old and didn’t have the life experience of his colleagues. The robot had faced few real tragedies in the short period he’d been online, and no one he knew had ever died before. Mira patted his back to reassure him. She was no stranger to death and tragedy, and even she felt scared and empty inside.

They hurried to catch up with Buzz and Booster. Buzz had already begun questioning the Shragarakian senator, Aarrfvox.

"Why did you visit the president today?" Buzz tapped a pencil against the notebook in his hand.

The senator, still looking shell-shocked by the whole incident, answered, "I came to discuss a bill I’m trying to get passed. We talked awhile... then I left... a-a-and that was the last time I saw her."

"Did you notice anything unusual while you were there?"

"No." Aarrfvox rubbed his head. "I wish I had. I wish there was something I could have done... Anything..."

Mira looked at him sympathetically. "You couldn’t have known what was going to happen. None of us could have."

"Security should have!" the senator snarled. "They should have detected the bomb long before it ever got near her office! The security around here is a joke. The Gargantians almost killed the president two years ago and now someone’s finished the job! It makes me wonder if any of us are really safe!"

"Take it easy, Aarrfvox." Senator Hammerhold entered the scene. Stepping cautiously over the smoldering rubble strewn across the ground, Petra Hammerhold followed closely behind her father. Mira smiled at the cadet, and got a weak nod in response. "The Rangers will catch whoever’s responsible," Hammerhold continued. "I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about."

"Tell that to the president," returned the Shragarakian.

Mira found herself agreeing with Aarrfvox. Security breaches were all too common, even on Star Command. How many times hadn’t they had to face foes who’d snuck onto the station? And the Alliance had almost been brought to its knees when Warp broke into the mainframe computer with a Techno Tick. Even Tangea would be ashamed of such poor security! She understood that the Galactic Alliance was still very much a work in progress, and there were always hundreds of pressing issues for the Senate to deal with, but couldn’t they have made security a higher priority? Now they were paying the price for their negligence.

While Buzz continued questioning the senators, Mira leaned against the wall and glanced at Petra again. The girl was rubbing her neck awkwardly, as if she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. Beckoning her closer, Mira smiled again. "Hey."

"Hey." Petra lifted her hand in small wave, then looked to Booster. "Hi, Booster."

"H-hi." The Jo-Adian waved back nervously. "So, uh, what are you doing here?"

Petra’s eyes flicked towards her father. "When I heard about the bomb, I left the Academy and rushed straight here. I... I was afraid my dad might have been hurt."

"I understand." Patting Petra’s shoulder, Mira knew she would have done the same thing if it had been her own father. Fortunately, the most danger King Nova usually faced each day were stubborn politicians, mountains of paperwork, and the occasional middle-aged noblewoman hoping to win his affections and become the next queen of Tangea.

"Well... I’m glad the senator’s okay." Booster smiled awkwardly at Petra. "I-it’s good to see you again."

"Yeah... thanks. It’s good to see you too." She sighed. "Not the best circumstances, though, huh? This is just so... hard to take in. Like, I knew the president pretty well, you know? She would always ask me how my training’s going when I stopped by the Senate to see my dad. I can’t believe she’s... you know..." Petra wrapped her arms around herself. "I wish Plasma Boy was here—I could really use him right now. But he’s off on a training mission."

Booster took her hand. " _I’m_ here. I-I-I mean, you know, as a friend."

Mira frowned, but said nothing.

Petra managed a smile. "Thanks. Uh... Later, when you’re not busy, maybe we could hang out or something? After everything that’s happened, I really do need someone to talk to."

"Yeah, so do I," Booster nodded sadly. "I’ll meet you after we’ve finished questioning everyone, okay?"

Mira bit her lip. It wasn’t her place to say anything, but she didn’t think it was a good idea for Booster to spend too much time with Petra. Something in his voice told her he wasn’t quite over the girl yet. Then again, they had far larger concerns to deal with at the moment, so she turned back to her captain and pushed the matter from her mind. Buzz was still talking to the two senators.

"And you’d already left the building when the bomb went off?" he asked Hammerhold.

"I’d taken the afternoon off," the senator replied. "I was at home when I got the news. Never been more shocked in my life. It still hasn’t sunk in yet." Shaking his head, he gazed at the Alliance headquarters. "I wonder what this means for us. It’s going to take a long time to recover from a blow like this."

Buzz nodded, and his eyes narrowed. "Let’s hope no one tries to take advantage of that."

Mira nudged him sharply with her elbow. "Would you forget about Zurg for one minute?" she whispered. "He’s not the issue right now. Our president is dead."

"Who’s going to replace her?" Booster asked. His voice quavered. "I can’t imagine anyone else running the Galactic Alliance..."

Hammerhold shrugged. "The vice president is being sworn in right now. He’s a good man. I don’t envy him, though. He’s got a hard road ahead of him."

"We all do, Senator," sighed Buzz. "We all do."

* * *

 

It was a beautiful day.

No, that wasn’t strictly true. They were flying through space, so there was no day and certainly no weather (beautiful or otherwise), and everything would be as delightfully grim and oppressive as always on Planet Z. But that didn’t make it any less beautiful.

Zurg exited the bridge of the Dreadnought, twirling his cape as he glided through the door. He entered a dim hall, eyes roving casually over the stark, imposing walls. He always enjoyed reminding himself that this—the ship, its occupants, _everything_ —was his. No one could take any of it away from him.

His eyes suddenly narrowed. Was that... dust? He wiped a finger across the wall, recoiling at the grey powder that came away when he did so. His Grubs and service bots were supposed to keep everything spotless! Cleanliness was next to evilness in his book. He’d have to send a maintenance crew to clean the corridor as soon as they got back to Planet Z, and someone would have to be punished for this negligence. Perhaps the Grub who’d been on cleaning duty that afternoon? Yes, that was perfect. A few hours in the Agony Pit and the Grub would be _begging_ him for the privilege of scrubbing those halls!

With that cheery image lingering in his thoughts, he made his way across the ship, nodding absently to the minions and Hornets he passed. Nothing could ruin his good mood, not even incompetent cleaning staff. Not when everything was working out so well...

"Your Evilness?"

Squinting, Zurg looked down. One of his Grubs stood before him, its antennae quivering. He recognised it as his latest personal assistant. Most people found the insectoids impossible to tell apart, but many years of working with them had taught him to detect the subtle differences in their facial features. This Grub had recently been assigned to him after his last assistant had reached the end of its limited lifespan (made more limited perhaps by the many sessions in the Malevolence Chamber it had suffered for repeatedly getting his schedule wrong). The new assistant was proving to be far more capable, and he was finding himself growing quite fond of its upbeat, chatty attitude. It was a nice change of pace from the usual snivelling.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I, uh, I couldn’t sleep." It looked up at him hopefully, its big black eyes growing even wider. "I was wondering if you could tell me a story..."

"Tell you a story?!" Of all the nerve! Who did his minions think he was, their nanny? He was an evil emperor! He’d put an end to all that story nonsense months ago! It was bad for discipline. He glared down at the Grub, but it merely continued to stare at him with those round bug eyes. "Oh... fine!" Zurg checked to make sure no one else had heard him. If the other minions knew, soon they’d all be queuing up for stories.

He followed the Grub to the cramped cubicle it slept in. The room was one of the perks of being his personal assistant—the other Grubs had to share a communal sleeping area that didn’t even leave room to stand in. Smoothing his robes as he settled on the floor, Zurg took a deep breath. What story should he tell it? The one about the time he stole Buzz’s childhood teddy bear and held it for ransom? Or what about the time he conquered Braxa III and made all their senior citizens work in the Hornet factory he set up there? No. None of those were right—they didn’t fit the occasion. "Once upon a time," he began slowly, wondering if that was perhaps too cliche an opener but being unable to think of anything better.

"Yes?"

"Once upon a time, there was this person." He flattened his palms and pressed them together. "He wasn’t a bad person, no, not at all. In fact, all he ever wanted was to live a good life like anyone else. But events conspired against him, trying to destroy him, because in spite of what its snivelling inhabitants think, the universe isn’t fair. But he wouldn’t die." His eyes burned, lighting the dark room with their red glow. "Instead he fought back. He began to take back everything that had been ripped away from him, and then some. He vowed that the cosmos itself would bend to his will, and one day he would crush all his enemies in the palm of his hand." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "That day has arrived."

The Grub nodded along eagerly. "And then what happened?"

"Then, my dear Grub? Nothing. There’s one slight problem with this story—the rest of it hasn’t been written. Yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the first installment posted! I'd like to remind everyone that this is a finished story, so expect regular updates. I'm planning to post two chapters a week.
> 
> Reading this now, having written most of the material in this chapter three years ago, is a little weird (and slightly embarrassing), but hopefully you're all enjoying the story so far. Reviews are definitely appreciated!


	3. Chapter 2

"I think we’re done here." Buzz put away his notebook as the last person on Nebula’s list left. The questioning had proved to be a fruitless endeavour—no one knew anything, no one had seen the bomb, and no one had heard anyone break into the office. Somehow an assassin had planted an explosive in the bustling, high-security hub of the Galactic Alliance without attracting the slightest attention or leaving so much as a hair. That supported Nebula’s hypothesis that the assassin was an insider, but everyone they’d spoken to seemed devastated by her death. Who would want to kill a woman who was by all accounts extremely well liked? Without motive, that theory was dead in the water. "Maybe the other investigators were right," he shrugged. "Maybe this wasn’t an inside job after all."

Mira paced across the room, her arms folded against her chest. "But we still don’t know how they got past security. I mean, Senator Aarrfvox is right about the security here being pathetic, but it’s not _that_ bad! You can’t just waltz in with a bomb and slip it into the president’s office."

Buzz nodded, massaging his temples. "We’ll look for possible entry points tomorrow. It’s no good doing any more tonight—we’re exhausted. It hasn’t been an easy day for any of us. Besides," he added, "Senator Hammerhold says the Alliance is convening a meeting soon to discuss what happens next. I’d like to be there."

"A bunch of politicians yelling at each other? Sounds like fun." XR rolled his eyes. "If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll stay here and scope out the place a little more."

Buzz nodded. "You do that, XR. Mira, Booster, are you with me?"

"I guess so," said Mira, while Booster shook his head.

"I-I already have plans," he explained. "So, uh, I guess I’ll see you guys here tomorrow then?"

"Roger, Ranger." Buzz yawned. "Mind if we grab some coffee before going to the meeting, Mira? I could really use it. I don’t think I’ve felt this tired in a long time."

"Same here," sighed Mira as they left their friends and made their way through the halls of the Senate. "It must be almost midnight. Doesn’t look like either of us are going to get any sleep tonight, huh?"

Buzz shrugged, leading her through a pair of doors. "I don’t feel much like sleeping anyway." The kitchen, where dozens of staff members were usually rushing around preparing meals for diplomatic functions, was quiet when they entered. Moonlight poured through a window at the far end, draping bands of fuzzy light over the darkened room. Flipping on the lights, Buzz headed for the coffee maker, stepping over shards of glass and crockery scattered over the floor. Half-finished meals lined the counters, abandoned in haste by the cooks when the bomb had gone off.

"Yeah, it’s really been that kind of day, hasn’t it?" Mira grabbed two mugs out the cupboard and handed them to him. As he took them, Buzz noticed her lips were quivering. "She was a good person—the president, I mean. She didn’t deserve this." Mira wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"No one does," he answered. The president’s death seemed to have hit everyone hard. Mira hadn’t even known her well, and she was near tears. Some of the senators had cried while he questioned him, and others like Aarrfvox had expressed great anger at the tragedy.

Yet Buzz himself remained dry-eyed as ever. Even when he thought Warp was dead, his tears had been few and he’d shed them in private. Some people dealt with grief by pouring it out; he preferred to keep busy. Weeping wouldn’t bring the president back from the grave, but catching her killer might stop other people from joining her.

He finished filling the two mugs and handed one to Mira. Taking it gingerly, Mira blew away the steam. "Who do you think’s behind this, Buzz?"

The name of a certain evil emperor flashed at once to the forefront of his mind, but he reluctantly put that thought aside. _He’d certainly want to see her dead, but he knows taking her alive would make a lot more sense—you can’t get any secrets out of a dead person. And if he’d done it, he’d have started gloating about it by now._ "I don’t know," Buzz said at last, shaking his head. "But whoever it is, we’re going to find them."

* * *

The streets were empty that night. It reminded Booster of when he and Buster were children and would poke tunnel mite mounds with a stick. All the mites would rush underground, pushing and scrambling to get below the soil where they believed they were safe. Only this time the citizens of Capital Planet were the tunnel mites, and he didn’t know who held the stick. He remembered how Buster would pour water down the tunnels, and it made him wonder if the people really were safe in their homes. If even the president wasn’t immune from danger... He shuddered.

The moon had risen high in the sky, and he stared up at it while he waited outside a small diner for Petra to arrive. A few stars pierced the clouds, twinkling merrily as if all was right in the universe. He hugged himself, pretending the chill he felt was from the cold. Once he would have drawn comfort from those stars. They were reliable, a constant in an ever-changing universe. No matter what happened, if you looked up on a clear night you’d always see the stars faithfully glimmering down on you. As a boy on Jo-Ad, he used to match them against starcharts, trying to find Capital Planet and hoping one of the tiny specks next to it was Star Command. As long as they continued to shine in the sky, everything would be okay.

But now he worked for Star Command—the one thing he’d longed for his whole life—and everything was _not_ okay.

"Hey, Booster?"

"Petra!" Jumping slightly when he saw her, he attempted a friendly grin.

The girl had appeared beside him, a coat wrapped around her shoulders to keep out the nip of the night air. Moonlight glistened across her hair, turning it from pink to silver. Her green skin looked grey in the pale light. Standing so still, she looked like a statue chiselled from marble, a work of art...

Petra smiled back at him. "I didn’t keep you waiting out here too long, did I?"

"No, it’s okay. Let’s go inside and get something to eat." He almost placed his hand on her back to guide her in, but stopped himself in time. He really had to quit thinking about her this way—he’d been sure he’d put all those feelings behind him!

"Right." Her heels clicked on the sidewalk as she accompanied him, and as her pace quickened the clicks began to echo the beating of his heart.

It wasn’t difficult to find an empty table once they were inside. A few of the stools beside the counter were occupied, and a woman had claimed a table in a secluded corner, but otherwise the diner was empty except for a cat weaving amongst the table legs, sniffing out scraps of food. Behind the counter a young man was taking an order from one of the customers, and he nodded to them as they entered. The smell of coffee and stale donuts greeted Booster’s nostrils, a welcome change from the vague hint of smoke and ash that still permeated the atmosphere outside. Even so, the tense, lugubrious feeling was present in the diner just as much as it had been in the street. None of the patrons said a word. Some nursed drinks, the woman in the corner poked disinterestedly at a plate of food, and the cat gnawed at a chicken bone it found beneath a table. All the usual warmth one was likely to find in a friendly little diner was missing.

Booster led Petra to a table at the far end of the room. He lowered himself into a chair, cringing at the way it creaked in protest. Taking a seat across from him, Petra folded her hands together. "So..." She unclasped her hands and clasped them again. "How’ve you been?"

The Jo-Adian shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Although he was happy to see Petra again, he couldn’t shake the awkwardness he felt around her, and the tragic events that had just occurred weren’t helping. He was so confused and conflicted. Things like this weren’t supposed to happen—Buzz said that evil never won! Good always triumphed. That was the way the universe worked, and he’d never had cause to doubt it. Until now. "I... I was okay until today," he answered at last, scrunching up the napkin on the table and avoiding her eyes... her beautiful big eyes and their dainty green centres... He shook his head quickly to clear his thoughts. "How about you?"

"Oh, totally... super." She sighed and rested her head on her hands. "I don’t know, things just haven’t been... and now there’s all _this_ going on too..."

Booster’s ears drooped. Something was bothering Petra, but he didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. May be if he knew what was wrong he could help somehow. "Aren’t you enjoying the Academy?"

"Oh, no, the Academy’s great," she assured him. "It’s not that."

His ears went up hopefully. "Problems with Plasma Boy...?"

"No, it’s not that either. We’re doing fine."

"Oh... Good, good." He felt his cheeks burning with shame. Why did he want Petra’s relationship to be in trouble? It wasn’t like he would ever have a chance with her. And—and he wasn’t even in love with her anymore anyway! He rolled up the napkin furiously. "So, what _is_ wrong?"

Petra shrugged. "It’s my dad. We’ve never really gotten along too well—I guess you’ve probably noticed by now—but lately... I’m not even sure I can put my finger on it, but he just seems different... and we hardly ever talk." She absently pushed a lock of hair out her face. "It’s like he doesn’t want to be around me anymore. I’m worried he’s disappointed in me or something. I know I’m not the perfect daughter he wanted."

"Don’t be so hard on yourself— _nobody’s_ perfect," argued Booster. "But you’re still really nice. I don’t think he has anything to be disappointed in. I-I think he’s lucky to have you for a daughter."

Her lips lifted slightly, forming a little smile. "Thanks. And you know what? I’m lucky to have you for a friend." Reaching across the table, she brushed her hand against his.

"Aw, don’t mention it." Booster blushed, a shiver running down his spine at her touch. In that moment she looked more beautiful than any other person he had ever met. She was so close... he could smell the sweet perfume she wore, see the sheen of the red lipstick on her mouth, hear the sound of her breathing... If he’d had the courage, he would have leaned forward to kiss her right then and there. But he knew he couldn’t.

It wasn’t fair. If he could’ve just met her sooner, before she and Plasma Boy started dating, maybe he would have had a chance. But instead he was forced to keep his distance while guilt welled up inside him, making his throat burn and his stomach ache. He shouldn’t have these feelings for her! Any attraction he’d had should have faded long ago, especially after being apart from her for so long. He had no right to wish... to wish he could tell her how he felt, and hear her tell him she felt the same way. His ma would be horrified if she knew—he shuddered to think what she would say! Or worse, _Buzz_. His idol would never approve! His lips quivered at the thought.

There was silence. Petra rested her forehead against her palm, her other hand clenched into a fist. "I hate this." Her words made him cringe. Did she know? W-was it that obvious? Had she— "This, y’know, this tension," she continued, gesturing to everything around her. "It’s like we’re all just waiting for the next terrible thing to happen. It’s so frustrating. I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know if my dad will be safe, I don’t even know if _I_ will be safe! I just, like, want to close my eyes and open them again to find everything’s back to normal. I don’t want to be afraid."

"D-don’t be." He wished Buzz were there. Buzz would know what to say. "I’m sure whoever did this isn’t going to target anyone else. They—they were probably just after the president." Biting his lip, he slid his hand across the table, cupping her delicate hand in his wide palm. "And whoever they are, we’ll catch them. I mean, come on—we’re Space Rangers!"

Petra shrugged. "Yeah... I guess..."

"It’ll be okay." He squeezed her hand gently. "B-Buzz says evil never wins. And he’s always right." Saying it out loud made it easier to believe. Evil wouldn’t win—it couldn’t. They’d faced a setback, that was all. They would find the assassin and then everything would go back to the way it was. He brushed his thumb across the back of Petra’s hand. "There’s nothing to worry about. I promise."

* * *

 After they’d drunk their coffee, which held back the worst of their fatigue, Mira and Buzz left the kitchen. A few service bots were at work in the hall, cleaning the mess caused by the bomb, but otherwise all was still. The Rangers’ footsteps echoed in the high-ceilinged corridor until they stepped onto the plush carpet, and then there was silence. Mira rubbed the back of her head, running a hand through her dishevelled hair. The taste of coffee lingered on her tongue. She savoured it, knowing she’d probably be needing another cup before the night was done.

The hall seemed to stretch on forever, and with each step she felt her weariness returning. In hindsight, she realised she should have gone home instead and let Buzz handle the Senate meeting himself; it was more his area anyway. Sleep was what she needed, even if it was just a few hours snatched on her couch. But she was here now so it was too late to change her mind, and it’d give her a chance to assess the new president.

She only met Vice President Taln a few times in passing, and knew even less about him by reputation. He was a quiet man, not the sort to garner attention according to Buzz. She wondered what kind of leader he would make. He’d been a senator before the president chose him as her running mate for her second term, staying close to the president but out of the spotlight during Senate deliberations. The president apparently often consulted him on important matters of state, and Mira remembered the woman once saying she valued Taln’s counsel over that of all the other senators, so perhaps he did have the wisdom necessary to keep the Alliance together. Even so, Mira couldn’t shake the thought that no one could truly replace the wonderful, strong-willed president she’d known.

They reached the end of the hall at last. With a low creak, the tall doors in front of them parted as Buzz pulled them open. Mira patted her hair one last time to make herself slightly more presentable, then followed her captain into the shadowed archway that opened out to the Senate chambers.

Some dignitaries were already seated at their desks, but most were standing. They were scattered in small groups throughout the room, hands gesticulating furiously and voices raised as they threw their opinions at each other. Mira had seen the senators argue before—it was practically a favourite pastime of theirs—but never had they been so caustic or passionate. They were lashing out at each other, all ceremony forgotten, as they tried to deal with the raw wound of the president’s death.

Buzz led her to a pair of empty chairs, and she seated herself, wrapping her arms around her chest. The presidential podium at the front of the room stood eerily vacant.

Commander Nebula emerged from the crowd and stepped up to the smaller podium at its base, resting his hands on the edges as he leaned into the microphone. "Members of the Senate," he announced, his voice becoming lost in the din. "Ahem!" Taking a gavel, he banged it sharply several times, the sound ringing out across the room and silencing the squabbling senators. Everyone looked in his direction, and at last some of them began to take their seats. Nebula nodded in approval. "Alright everyone," he continued, "our new president would like to address the Senate."

New president. She knew there’d been other presidents in the past, but Mira still wondered if she would ever get used to this sudden change. Judging by the murmurs she heard, some of the dignitaries around her were having similar misgivings. But Nebula’s stern expression kept the senators in order, and no one offered any argument.

Taln—a tall, thin man with grey-green skin—slithered up to the podium on his tentacled feet. His deep-set eyes were drawn together and his mouth curled into a frown. Mira wondered just how much he wanted to be there. Probably about as much as she did.

"Members of the Galactic Senate," he announced hoarsely, "you all know why we are here. Today we lost the finest woman ever to grace these halls, and now her office falls upon me. In the wake of this tragedy, we have to decide how to move forward." Clasping his gnarled fingers together, he bowed his head. "We cannot pretend this isn’t going to have a serious effect on the Alliance. The public is fearing for their safety, our allies will question our strength, and our enemies will try to take advantage of this blow. We must formulate a strategy to deal with this disaster. For that, I need your input. Every voice will be heard." He stood up straight. "You may speak freely here."

In an instant, Buzz had sprung to his feet. Mira watched as Nebula stepped aside to let Buzz take the podium. Tapping the microphone a few times, Buzz cleared his throat. "If I may, Mr. President," he said. "I’d like to advise that we strengthen the security around our borders, especially near Zurg Space. Now is exactly the time he’d choose to strike against us—while we’re disorganised and disheartened. We need to prepare for an attack."

There were mutterings of disagreement from the senators. "Forget Zurg," the Pachydermian senator retorted. "He hasn’t been a threat in months. When was the last time he struck one of our outposts or ships? You Rangers need to get your priorities in order! You should be finding the president’s killer and beefing up security around _here!_ "

Mira saw the senators around her nod angrily, and Aarrfovx stood up. "My esteemed colleague is right—where is Star Command when trouble strikes close to home? You’re great at stopping outside problems like Zurg, but what about the trouble we have right here on Capital Planet? If you weren’t so focused on the rest of the galaxy and spent a little more time securing _us_ , maybe the president would still be alive!"

"We’re _Space_ Rangers!" Buzz folded his arms. "While we supplement local law enforcement when necessary, our primary concern is interstellar protection. Our forces are spread thin enough already—we can’t be responsible for diplomatic security around the clock. You have your own people for that."

The Elferian senator wrinkled her nose. "Yet you seem to have enough Rangers to direct traffic, bring in petty criminals on Trade World, and do safety demonstrations at schools. Why is that?"

"We like to keep a finger in every pie," Nebula responded. "A few people here, a few people there. That way we always know what’s happening around the quadrant, so we can be there if something big goes down."

"Like you were there for the president?" the senator challenged.

More shouts rose up from the Senate, and Taln had to bang his gavel to restore order. "People, please," he said. "This is no time for pointing fingers. What’s done is done. We’re here to discuss the future."

"Exactly," said Buzz. "And we won’t have a future if Zurg invades. We need to keep our borders secure!"

"I’m with Lightyear on this one," agreed Nebula. "Zurg is quiet now, but wait till he gets wind of this disaster. Then we’ll see some action from him."                        

Taln shrugged, sighing heavily. "You may be right, but I won’t authorise any increase in security without the agreement of the Senate."

Mira yawned as she watched the argument continue, and she checked the clock on her communicator. It was past one in the morning. The afternoon’s barbecue already seemed like a distant memory. So much had changed in such a brief period of time. The weight of it all had wearied her, and at last even the effects of the coffee couldn’t hold back sleep. The arguing continued around her but she was no longer listening, and the world went black as her head dropped against the back of the chair and she drifted into a troubled slumber.

The next thing she knew, Buzz was gently shaking her shoulder. "Mira," he whispered. "Time to wake up. We have to meet XR and Booster in the lobby."

"Wha— what?" She blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Already?"

Her captain smiled. Sunlight was streaming through the glass windows behind him, catching thousands of floating dust specks in its rays. A faint, smoky smell still clung to the room, but it had faded considerably during the night. "You slept through the whole meeting," Buzz told her. "I decided to let you rest until it was time to begin our investigation again—I figured you could use it."

"Y-yeah, thanks," she said with a yawn. "So, what happened? At the meeting, I mean. Did they decide on anything?"

"Those crater-heads in the Senate think protecting the borders against Zurg is a waste of resources." Buzz gritted his teeth. "Gah! I know how Zurg thinks and how he operates. He’s going to try something—I can feel it! But they want every available Ranger either working on this case or protecting the Senate." He shook his head. "If you ask me, _that_ is a waste of resources!"

Mira shrugged. "You won’t get any argument from me, sir, but what can we do? We can’t go against the Senate." Rising from her seat, she stretched herself out and groaned. "Ugh, I feel stiff. Remind me never to fall asleep in one of those chairs again."

They left the Senate chambers and soon reached the lobby, where Booster and XR were already waiting. XR had a copy of the morning paper stretched in front of him and he appeared to be scrutinising the financial section, while Booster was setting a flat box on an empty chair. He flipped open the lid, releasing a cloud of steam that carried with it the tantalising scent of cheese and pepperoni. Inhaling deeply, Mira patted her stomach. She hadn’t eaten since the barbecue, and her body was making its displeasure known. "Is that pizza?" she asked eagerly.

Booster nodded, holding up a slice. "Want some? I figured you might be hungry, so I ordered it on the way here."

"Now that’s Ranger thinking, Booster." Buzz was upon the box before Mira had even taken a step forward.

The Tangean frowned, following her captain and reaching for the second largest slice, Buzz having already taken the biggest for himself. Naturally. She opened her mouth wide and took a generous bite, chewing slowly to savour the taste. A cappuccino latte would have been nice, but pizza was a pretty good way to start the morning too. After gulping down it all down, she licked the melted cheese off her fingers and sighed happily, allowing herself to momentarily forget the depressing circumstances that had fallen upon them.

More fastidious than her, Buzz grabbed a paper napkin from the box and wiped his hands clean. He then turned to XR. "So, Ranger, what do you have to report?"

Drawing himself away from the stock market, XR turned to Buzz and put down the newspaper. News of the president’s death was splashed all over the front page, complete with pictures of the blast damage and sensational headlines. Mira suspected the press was having a field day with the incident. "Not much, Buzz," the robot replied. "I checked the whole building last night. Nada. There were one or two possible entry points, but I scanned them thoroughly and couldn’t find the slightest evidence that anyone had been through them recently. No fingerprints, no DNA, no hair follicles—nothing. I think Pop was right. This looks like the work of an insider."

Booster ears drooped. "I can’t believe one of the senators would do this. Why would they want to kill the president?"

"Political reasons?" guessed Mira. "Maybe they disagreed with her policies?"

"Or maybe they wanted her out the way so they could move in and take her place." XR folded his arms. "It’s the old ‘power hungry underling turns assassin’ routine. Happens all the time."

Buzz glanced down at him. "Are you suggesting the vice president did this?"

"I’m not suggesting anything, I’m just saying it’s worth checking out, right?"

"Uh, right. Well, we’ll look into that later. Right now we need to plan our next move." Buzz put his hands on his hips. "Okay, Team. We’ve got no evidence, no leads. Where do we go from here?"

The team stared blankly at each other. "Look," reasoned Mira, stepping forward, "we need to think this through logically. Whoever did this probably didn’t do it alone, especially if it was one of the senators. Those types of people don’t like to get their hands dirty. They had to have hired someone."

"Good point," nodded Buzz.

"The senators would certainly have the dough for that," XR agreed. "But if they did hire a professional, that just makes our job ten times harder. Even if we could track down this hypothetical hitman, which, by the way, is unlikely in my book, there’s no way they’re going to give away their client!"

Mira shrugged. "We have to start to somewhere. The question is, where do we go for the lowdown on hitmen?"

"Where else?" Buzz folded his arms. "Trade World."


	4. Chapter 3

He rolled onto his side, eyes closed and the hazy remnants of a dream still lingering in his mind. _Sandy beaches edged by gently rolling waves sparkled in the distance, and a brilliant azure sky was spread out above, no clouds to dampen the rays of the three suns. He lifted his cap and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Another hot, sticky day in the resort capital of the galaxy, what a surprise. He eyed the passing tourists with a frown, his gaze flickering over the young couples on their honeymoons, the vacationing families with their noisy toddlers, and the odd government official getting away from the office for a few weeks. Sooner or later, everyone with enough cash came to Mahambas VI. Oh, sure, Rhizome was a popular vacation destination, and everyone loved a trip to Capital Planet, but Mahambas VI had it all—sunny beaches, beautiful women, luxury hotels, casinos, theme parks, exclusive restaurants—the whole planet existed to attract tourists. There were no sentient native inhabitants, and it had little in the way of natural resources. The only reason people came to Mahambas VI was to get a good tan and relax. Or, in his case, to see a bit more of the universe than the cosy little life working in his uncle’s drugstore offered..._

Warp yawned, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders and pretending he hadn’t noticed the time on his alarm clock.

His dream flashed through his mind again. He was fifteen years old, wandering aimlessly through the one of the shorefront resort cities on Mahambas VI. _Huh, why was I dreaming about all that?_ He rarely thought about his youth. He liked to pride himself in being a man who lived in the moment, never looking back.

Still, he had some good memories of those days. Arriving there, all on his own, blowing what little money his uncle had given him at the casino but having a blast doing it, and finally finding a job at one of the car washes. He remembered well the many luxury vehicles that he worked on each day. The paint job alone on some of them would’ve cost more uni-bucks than he made in a year. He loved putting them through the wash and watching them come out clean and sparkly, so shiny he could use the hood as a mirror to comb his hair. _One day I’ll have one of those_ , he’d thought whenever a flashy sports car landed at the car wash.

 _Well, now I do. Guess dreams really do come true, huh?_ Come to think of it, though, he’d never gotten a chauffeur like so many of those rich folk had. He’d always kind of liked the idea of a chauffeur. _Maybe I’ll look into some time,_ he thought sleepily, snuggling deeper under the covers. He could have anything he wanted now.

He smiled when he remembered how sometimes, when the customers had asked for the interiors to be cleaned, he would rifle through the compartments and nick any spare change they’d left lying around. As if they were going to miss it, right? He’d even nabbed a few phones and other valuables when he thought he could get away with it. The clients never seemed to notice—they were all so absorbed in their own busy, extravagant lives. Warp was never one to miss an opportunity. Stealing from them didn’t bother his conscience—they had so much already, and he was just a poor kid trying to make a few extra uni-bucks. Nothing wrong with that.

Warp rolled over, still pretending he hadn’t seen the display on his clock. _I’ve come a long way,_ he thought with a grin. At heart he still lived by the same motto, though—always look out for number one. And it sure had paid off. He wondered how much richer he was than all those customers who used look down their noses at him while he worked away on their vehicles. Boy, he’d love to see their faces now. He wasn’t just richer than them, he commanded respect and fear. His name was—

"Agent Darkmatter!"

 _Oh, Venus._ Warp groaned and tried to slink back under the covers, putting the pillow over his head. "I’m sleeping!"

"Not anymore!" Yanking the blanket away, an infuriatingly chipper Grub clapped its hands. "Evil Emperor Zurg wanted you up an hour ago!"

"Aw, come on!" _It’s bad enough I was out all night doing his dirty work! Can’t he at least let me sleep in for once?_ Sitting up, Warp rubbed his eyes. "What does the galaxy’s most annoying overlord want from me today?"

"Careful what you say," the Grub whispered. "He’s in a strange mood today."

"When isn’t he?" With a groan that was perhaps more dramatic than necessary, Warp reached for his boots. "Just tell me what he wants."

Coughing nervously, the Grub looked around to make sure no one was listening. "He needs you to fly him somewhere."

 _Great, now I’m_ his _chauffeur._ Warp rose reluctantly and began gathering the rest of his clothes from where they were scattered. "I happen to know Z is a pretty good pilot. He doesn’t need me!"

"You know the territory better..."

Frowning, he slid the battle armour over his chest. "Just where does he want to go anyway?"

"Capital Planet."

Craters. It _would_ be there, wouldn’t it? Warp sighed. "Tell Zurg I’ll meet him in fifteen minutes. There’s no _way_ I’m doing this without at least having breakfast first."

The Grub looked like it was going to protest, then saw Warp’s expression and changed its mind. "Oh, he’s not going to like this..."

Once he was fully-dressed, Warp left the room and strode purposefully down the hall. A legion of Hornets passed by, their steady metallic steps echoing too loudly for his just-woken-up tastes. Brain Pods and Grubs were scurrying through the corridors, some holding clipboards, some dragging trolleys carrying unknown objects hidden under tarps, but most heading for the cafeteria just like he was.

When he got there, nearly every bench was already taken, a problem he could have avoided if he’d gotten up a little earlier. The sound of chatter reached his ears as Brain Pods exchanged the latest news with each other and Grubs talked about whatever it was Grubs talked about. The smell of freshly-brewed coffee filled the room, and Warp wasted no time in pouring himself a cup from the nearest pot. He then helped himself to a small serving of the morning special—a gruel-like substance he decided he would be better off not knowing the true identity of—and swiped a few donuts from the cook’s super-secret stash reserved for Cake Day.

One of the Brain Pods waved him over to a table that still had an empty place and he accepted the invitation gratefully. It wasn’t brunch by the pool on private his moon, but it beat standing.

"So, Darkmatter," the Brain Pod—74—greeted, "where were you off to last night?"

"Sorry." He blew on his steaming mug. "That’s need-to-know."

Grabbing one of his donuts before he could protest, Brain Pod 17 nodded. "Best not to say anything. There’s no telling what these blabbermouths will let slip to the wrong people. Mmm," he shoved the donut through an opening beneath his bowl, "not bad! Needs more sprinkles, though."

"You know Zurg has a five sprinkle policy," Brain Pod 22 chided. "You shouldn’t even be eating those before Cake Day!"

"Aw, shut up." Guarding the rest of his donuts as fiercely as a mother narlzak would her young, Warp glanced curiously at 17. "I didn’t expect to see you around here again. It’s been what, three months? You just disappeared. I figured Zurg had you fried or something."

17 eyed the donuts enviously, but made no move to take them. "On the contrary, I’ve been working on a, shall we say, _special project_ of his."

"Another one?" Just what was Zurg cooking up?

Nodding, the Brain Pod lowered his voice. "I just got back last night—it must have been while you were away. I’ll be leaving again in a few days. I can’t say more than that, but I expect Emperor Zurg will tell you all about it when he’s good and ready."

Ew, the gruel tasted worse than it looked. Warp pushed it aside and decided to stick with the donuts. "I wish he’d get good and ready a little sooner. I’m tellin’ ya, the man’s up to something big and I don’t like being in the dark."

"Something big... hmm. Is that why you’re taking him to Capital Planet today?" 74 asked.

"Jeez, word travels fast around here. I thought that was supposed to be classified too."

The Brain Pod grinned. "It pays to have a few friends among the lower ranks. One of the Grubs told me."

"Did he happen to tell you what it was all about?" Sipping his coffee, Warp sighed contentedly as he felt some of the weariness leave him. "‘Cause at the moment I’m flying blind."

"I’m sure he’ll tell you when you report in," said 17.

"And the sooner you do so, the less likely you are to get the Wedgie Ray for being late," 22 put in.

Right. Zurg was still waiting for him. And a waiting emperor was never a happy emperor. Gulping down his last donut and the rest of the coffee, Warp rose from the bench. "Well, it’s been fun, guys, but I gotta run." Leaving them, he paused in the doorway as another Grub entered. "Hey, bug-eyes, do you know where I can find Zurg?"

"Check the balcony on Level Four."

"Gotcha." One thing you had to say for the Grubs, they were a great network of information. Not quite Star Command’s LGMs when it came to sharing knowledge, but they did like to gossip when they had a chance. If you ever needed to know something on Planet Z, you asked a Grub. They were also exceedingly easy to bribe—all it took was a little candy. He suspected that was how 74 got his information.

Turning a corner, he found an elevator shaft and pressed the button, tapping his fingers on the wall until the doors opened. A lone Hornet stood inside, staring blankly ahead and not even acknowledging him when he entered the lift. Warp folded his arms and eyed the robot, idly wondering if his alarm clock had more mental processing power than it did. Even Star Command’s Guard Bots seemed brainy in comparison. "He can make a smarm-dripping energy vampire," he muttered, "but not a fighting force with a combined IQ above two." Then again, considering how the NOS-4-A2 project had turned out, maybe Zurg had the right idea. The dumber your minions were, the less likely they were to object to being used as canon fodder. Warp wasn’t sure what that said about himself, considering how many times he’d let the emperor put _him_ in the line of fire...

The lift shuddered as it came to a halt, and the doors swooshed open. "This is my exit." Giving the Hornet a mock salute, Warp stepped out the elevator and looked around. Level Four—laundry, garbage, and environmental systems. What was Zurg doing down there?

Detouring around rows of carts laden with unwashed laundry, Warp headed for the balcony. A rat scurried across his path, making him jump. It paused to squeak at him, as if angry that he was invading its space, then scampered beneath a trolley. Despite Zurg’s extermination efforts, rats and other vermin still had free reign over the lesser-used parts of the tower. The kitchen staff assured everyone that the rats never got into the pantry, pointing to the conspicuously empty traps placed around the food, but sometimes Warp wondered... And just where _did_ the cooks get the meat for the Thursday night special anyway? Some questions were better left unanswered.

His steps echoing through the empty corridor, he reached the doors to the balcony and hesitated. It wasn’t that he was _afraid_ of Zurg, that would be ridiculous, he just needed time to prepare himself for the verbal onslaught he was likely to receive. Taking a deep breath, he walked through.

Wind buffeted his face, choking him with the red dust it carried. His eyes began to water. Black clouds swirled angrily overhead in the crimson sky, and lightning flashed silently behind the rocky outcrops lying beyond the city. Resting his hands on the balustrade, Zurg stood with his back turned, his cape whipping violently in the wind. Warp hung back, waiting for the emperor to notice him.

Lightning snaked overhead, illuminating the city for a second then giving way to a crackling boom. Tensing, Warp backed closer to the door. It was just the storm approaching, but thunder always sounded uncomfortably like weapons fire, and he was feeling edgy enough already. "Zurg?"

He thought the emperor hadn’t heard him, but at last Zurg turned his head. "Darkmatter. You’re late."

Well, not the warmest greeting he’d ever received, but it wasn’t the tongue-lashing he was expecting. "Sorry, Z, the clock never went off." He’d turned the alarm off just before crawling into bed that night, but Zurg didn’t need to know that. "You sent for me?"

"Yes." Zurg’s gaze returned to the storm.

"Uh... so... you want me to fly you to Capital Planet, right?" Warp rubbed his neck, approaching Zurg hesitantly. "We should get going before the storm gets any closer."

Zurg nodded, but didn’t take his eyes off the bleak horizon. "Prepare one of the shuttles for launch. I will join you shortly."

"We’re going to need access codes to get past the planet’s defense net, you know," Warp pointed out. "I still have the border codes that source of yours provided me with, so we can get into the solar system, but getting onto Capital Planet is another matter."

"I... _persuaded_ him to provide me with the additional codes. They should work, as long as no one actually sees us. Now get to work, Darkmatter."

Taking a step towards the door, then changing his mind, Warp placed his hands on the balustrade and faced Zurg. "Is that all? You’re just gonna make me do your bidding without even telling me what it’s all about?" Oh boy, that was going to earn him an hour with the Wedgie Ray for sure. "I’m tired of being outta the loop, Zurg!"

"You will do as you are told, Darkmatter!" Zurg swept his arm forward, shoving a finger in Warp’s face. "I don’t need to explain myself to you!"

Now would be a good time to just walk away and carry out his boss’s orders. Too bad he never knew when to keep out of trouble. "Someone’s got to keep an eye on you! Come on, Z, you haven’t been yourself lately. How do I know you haven’t finally lost it?" He kept his voice even, but his heart was racing in his chest and he was ready to bolt at the slightest move from Zurg.

"You couldn’t be more wrong, Darkmatter," Zurg’s voice was icy, "I’ve finally found it."

Not knowing how to respond to that cryptic statement, Warp gritted his teeth and looked around. "What are you even doing down here? And in the middle of a storm too!"

The emperor’s face became impassive. "I was just... remembering. You can see the mountains from here, you know."

Right. Okay. "Man, that Grub wasn’t kidding about you," Warp muttered under his breath.

"What?" One brow raised, Zurg glared at him.

"Nothing." Lifting his hands from the railing, Warp glanced over the sullen landscape once more and trudged away. "I’ll get the ship ready."

* * *

"Brent Starkisser here, reporting LIVE from the funeral of the galactic president! The mood is solemn as guests take their seats for the ceremony, held here on these beautiful grounds outside late president’s country estate on Capital Planet. Senators, ambassadors, and other dignitaries from a hundred worlds have gathered here today to pay their respects. We have with us Commander Nebula, head of the Space Ranger Corps, who will be delivering the president’s eulogy. Commander Nebula, you often worked closely with the president—how will her death affect Star Command?" Every hair sprayed into place and not a wrinkle in his perfectly-tailored designer suit, Brent Starkisser held out the microphone to Nebula.

The commander frowned in contempt. Hundreds of people had come to mourn the president’s death, but Starkisser certainly wasn’t one of them. He was a bottom-feeder, there for the story, positively gleeful at getting to cover such an important event. The man probably made more in a month exploiting tragedies and sniffing out celebrity scandals than a Space Ranger made in a year saving lives and keeping the galaxy safe. Pushing away the microphone, Nebula levelled a glare at Brent. "No comment. This is a funeral, not a press conference! Star Command will issue a statement to the media after we’re done paying our respects to the woman who made this Alliance great."

He strode past the newsman and his camera, taking a place beside a podium that had been set up next to the open grave. The casket lay within, waiting to be buried. The forensics team had told him they’d barely found enough to of the president to fit in a shoebox, though the head pathologist had enough for a positive ID. Nebula shook his head. It just wasn’t right. He couldn’t believe this had happened.

Nearby, a grey-haired priest in yellow robes was lighting candles while muttering some invocation with both mouths, and a woman was straightening the floral arrangements laid out on the table. Despite the number of guests, the ceremony would be a modest one, in keeping with what the president would have wanted and the customs of her people. The front row seats were reserved for the family, who still seemed to be in shock as they sat together in their dark mourning clothes. Making a mental note to speak them after the service to offer his condolences, Nebula folded his arms and waited for the preparations to be completed so he could begin the eulogy.

And then he heard it. The steady hum of rockets. Twisting around, he looked up and his hand instantly went to the trigger on his arm. "Zurg!"

Flowers were blown from their vases and candles snuffed out as a wave of hot jet fumes blasted from Zurg’s rocket boots and Warp Darkmatter’s jetpack. The two men landed on the lawn amidst screams and shouts as the guests jumped from their seats and went running for their lives or ducked beneath tables. Nebula sprang forward, his laser arm levelled straight at the emperor’s ugly head. Guards came running to join him, forming a circle around the uninvited visitors and keeping them in the sights of their laser rifles.

Nebula’s teeth ground together when he saw that Zurg merely looked amused. "Ah, Commander," the emperor chortled. "Such a rude welcoming! I have half a mind to be insulted."

"What are you doing here, Zurg?" Nebula growled back, his eyes tracking the emperor’s every move and his finger poised above his wrist laser. _Just give me the slightest provocation, freak._

"Oh, simply correcting a little oversight in your guest list." Zurg motioned calmly for Warp to raise his gun arm at the guards, but didn’t give the order to fire. "I must say, I was quite miffed when I found I hadn’t been invited to the funeral of your dear president. Surely even an evil emperor such as myself should be allowed to pay his respects too? And so, here I am."

One shot, and all their problems would be over. Just one shot... but he couldn’t do it. Not in cold blood. "And now you’ll go!"

"Really, Commander, you would start a fight at a funeral?" Zurg tsked. "Aren’t there a few too many innocent bystanders?" He laughed as the commander glanced back at all the guests cowering in fear. "Some of them might be hurt in the crossfire, and we can’t have that, now can we?"

"What do you want, Zurg?" Nebula spat. His gaze shifted to Warp, who looked more ill at ease than his emperor. "And you! What are you doing here, _traitor_?" The sting of Warp’s betrayal would never leave him. That man could have been one of the greatest heroes the galaxy had ever seen, but instead he threw it all away—just so he could make a little extra money. Nebula had befriended the man, been a mentor to him, even made him and Buzz his top team for pete’s sake! And Warp had stabbed them all in the back. Some things could never be forgiven.

"Don’t expect answers from me," Warp shrugged, his forehead glistening with sweat. "This was Zurg’s idea. I’m just here as backup."

"I wanted to see your faces." Zurg scanned the crowd, directing a sneer at them. "In person—it’s just not the same through the lens of a camera." His gaze came to rest on Brent Starkisser and the floating camera beside him, which was filming the entire incident. In a flash, red beams poured from his eyes and disintegrated it, causing the newsman to yelp and jump back. "I wanted to see the looks of despair. The fear, the grief." Zurg stepped closer, his face curving into a smile as the people whimpered and screamed, scrambling to get away. "Call it... a taste of the future." With that, he beckoned to Warp and pressed the Z insignia on his chest. The two men rocketed away, another gust of air sending leaves and petals swirling around the grounds.

Nebula stared into the sky, shielding his eyes against the sun as he watched the clouds swallow them. "What was that all about?"

* * *

Crumford Lorak strolled across the walkway, whistling to himself. Night was falling, but the streets were no less busy than during the day, and he had to jostle his way through the crowds. It was a fine evening, at least by Trade World standards. A cool wind was blowing in from the sea, bringing with it the usual smells of garbage, smog, and open sewers, but also the taste of salt and the cooking aromas of a dozen eateries. A few stars could be seen shining in the sky, but most were obscured by pollution and the lights of the city. All around, sellers called out their wares, trying to be heard above the din, and cars zoomed overhead. Ads were flashing on every building, in every language spoken in the Galactic Alliance and a few that weren’t. Trash was littered across the ground, dropped and crushed underfoot by the hordes of people streaming through the city.

It was _his_ city, and he loved it.

Pushing past a pair of Vulturans, the rat-like alien left the walkway and tramped down a rusted stairwell that led to one of the lower levels of the city. There he found a shadowy hovel beneath a bridge, one of the few that didn’t have any vagrants sleeping under it. Kicking garbage out the way and avoiding a stagnant puddle of rainwater, he sat down and took a wad of money from his pocket. "Lemme see, today’s earnings come to about..." He flipped his fingers through the money, adding up all the bills. "...fifty uni-bucks. Not bad for a day’s work!" Chuckling, he pocketed the money and spread his hands behind his head.

To the uninformed observer, he looked like just another street hustler. But he wasn’t—he was better. He was the king of con artistry on Trade World. He’d fixed it so he had a hand in every scheme that side of the quadrant, or at the very least knew all the details, yet never got personally involved in any of them (well, almost never—he’d certainly learned his lesson from that fiasco with the Raenoks and Senator Banda). People on both sides of the law came to him for information, and in return he was allowed to go about his business in peace. The Space Rangers would have arrested him long ago if he weren’t such a useful source of information, and the criminals he dealt with would have killed him for spilling so many secrets if he weren’t just as willing to share the secrets of their rivals with them. It was a great gig—no firm allegiance to anyone but himself, few risks, and lots of profit to be made. He had it down to an art form. He was known far and wide as _the_ source for info on anything and everything.

For this reason, it was no surprise to him when he saw Team Lightyear descend through the sky and land in front of him. Getting to his feet and cracking his knuckles, he grinned at the Rangers. "Somethin’ I can do for you, Buzz?"

The team leader stepped forward. "We need information."

"If this is about the president," said Crumford, "I didn’t have nothin’ to do with that."

"But you know something about it, right?" guessed the robot Ranger standing behind Buzz. "Nothing goes down without you hearing about it."

Crumford shrugged. "Hey, I get around. But whoever pulled this job off is keepin’ it on the hush-hush, if you know what I mean. I ain’t heard nothin’ ‘cept rumours."

"What kind of rumours?" Buzz asked.

"Eh, I dunno. Just speculation that’s been goin’ around, man. You know the kind—loose talk around bars, drifters exchangin’ news after they’ve had a drink too many." He flicked a greasy strand of hair out his eyes. "Some of ‘em think this attack on the Alliance is related to the weird stuff happenin’ out on the galactic frontier."

The team exchanged glances, and the Tangean Ranger approached. "What weird stuff happening on the frontier?"

"Aw, you know, strange ships sited out there, other ships disappearin’ without a trace, stuff like that. I thought you Rangers woulda heard about it." If he’d known the Rangers were in the dark, he would have made them pay for that information.

Buzz looked at his team and they shrugged. "It’s news to us."

Crumford smirked. "I guess there’s a lotta stuff that never reaches the likes of you. Anyhoo, that’s all I know. No one’s talkin’. But if I hear anythin’, I’ll let you know—as long as the price is right." He turned away and was about to leave when he felt a hand on his collar. He was yanked back sharply and came face to face with Buzz.

"Not so fast. Maybe you don’t know anything specifically about the case, but you might still be able to help us." Buzz set him down. "Who would you go to for a really high level assassination?"

"Why, you wanna off someone? Ahahaha!" He trailed off when he saw Buzz’s no-nonsense frown. "There are guys who do work like that, but they don’t come cheap an’ most of them wouldn’t risk their necks on a job this big. I hear treason is still a capital offense, ain’t it? Your assassin would need pretty strong motivation to do somethin’ this risky."

The Jo-Adian folded his arms. "And you don’t know anyone who might have done it?"

"No, man, I stay away from creeps like that. Assassins, they ain’t like other folks. They’ll slit your throat over the tiniest thing, just ‘cause they _like_ it. I only deal with them when I has to."

Buzz nodded, sighing. "Well, looks like we’re back to square one. We’ll have to keep looking." He relaxed his grip on Crumford’s shoulder. "One final thing—can you give us any exact coordinates to where this strange activity on the outer rim has occurred?"

"Maybe I can, and maybe I can’t." He grinned. "I’ve just given you a shipload of info on the house. Well, now it’s time I got what’s comin’ to me. If you wanna know you gotta show the dough."

Gritting his teeth, the Space Ranger took out some cash which Crumford quickly swiped from his hand and counted. "Try your luck out by the asteroid belt in Sector 47. That’s where the most recent sightin’s were." He slipped the money into his pocket, putting it with the rest of the day’s earnings. "Don’t blame me if you run into any trouble, though, man. Strange things happen out there."

"Well, that sounds encouraging." XR folded his arms. "What are you planning, Buzz? I don’t like that look in your eye..."

"Not to worry, XR," assured Buzz. "You and Mira won’t be going out there. Booster and I will."

"What?" The Tangean frowned.

"Heh, your funeral, Ranger," cackled Crumford. "Good riddance, I say."

Mira glared at him. "Shut up, Crummy. Buzz, shouldn’t we be investigating a little closer to home? These rumours are probably just that—rumours. It’d be a waste of time to go all the way to the outer frontier just to check them out."

"There are other people working on the assassination case besides us, but I don’t think anyone else has looked into this yet. We can spare a few hours to visit the rim." Shrugging, Buzz put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it’s nothing, but we don’t have many leads right now, so it’s worth following up every one we get."

Booster nodded eagerly. "Good thinking, Buzz. If there’s anything out there, we’ll find it!"

"If it doesn’t find us first," muttered Mira, folding her arms. "What if there really is something dangerous out there?"

"Then the trip won’t be a waste of time after all," grinned Buzz, patting her on the back. "Let’s go, Team!" He ignored Mira’s eye roll and activated his jetpack, a trail of smoke following him as he launched into the sky.

Crumford watched as Buzz’s team took off after him, and he fingered the money again. "Not a bad day’s work at all," he chuckled softly. "So long, Rangers."


	5. Chapter 4

Booster scanned through the results of his inquiry, his chin resting in his hand. A list of names and serial numbers scrolled across the screen. "Buzz," he called out, peering over his station and across the bridge at his captain. "You’ll want to hear this."

Turning his head, Buzz raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Booster?"

"I was checking up on what Crumford told us, and..." He glanced at the results again to confirm his information. "A number of ships _have_ gone missing in Sector 47, and it’s suspected the amount is actually higher than reported because a lot of the ships in that region aren’t registered with the Shipping Bureau. It looks like Crumford was telling the truth."

Buzz nodded. "So far. Good work, Booster." He pushed the thrust lever forward. "This definitely deserves our attention."

"So what’s the game plan, Buzz?" Mira asked.

"Once we reach the galactic rim, you and XR will take the shuttle down to the frontier planets and ask around, see what you can find out. Maybe someone there knows something." Buzz leaned back. "Booster and I will take ol’ 42 into Sector 47 for a little reconnaissance."

Booster found himself grinning. Missing ships on the edge of Alliance Space, a recon mission with Buzz, it was so exciting! After the futile, depressing work they’d been doing for the presidential assassination case, it was a much needed change of pace.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Mira didn’t seem to share his enthusiasm. "How come we’re stuck questioning the locals while you get to have all the fun?"

Scooting over, XR waved his hands frantically at Mira then turned to smile nervously at Buzz. "Uh, hey, look, I consider venturing into a dangerous interstellar Bermuda Triangle as much fun as the next guy, but really, Buzz, I am A-okay with handling the planetside part of this investigation. Not a problem, honest, and I’m sure Mira agrees with me, don’t you, Mira?" He shot a glare at the Tangean.

Returning the glare with one of her own, Mira shook her head. "No. Listen, I don’t see why I have to be left behind. _Booster_ gets to go along!"

Booster bit his lip, watching his captain’s expression. He understood Mira’s desire to be part of the action, but—but he wanted to be the one to go with Buzz!

"We are the senior Rangers here, Mira, so I need you with either Booster or XR. Booster has to go along with me to man the weapons in case of an attack, so that means you’re with XR," Buzz said firmly.

" _Or_ I stay with Booster and you go with XR," countered Mira. "I can handle the responsibility. We probably won’t run into anything anyway."

Uh-oh, Buzz was clenching his jaw. Booster grimaced. Apparently Buzz didn’t like that idea.

"Negative, Ranger." Punching some coordinates into the computer, Buzz continued, "These are the planets you will visit. Be sure to ask the local authorities if any ships have been reported missing, and find out if any strange activity has been seen in Sector 47. We’ll rendevous with you in three hours."

Mira frowned as she inspected the coordinates. "Oh, gosh, look, this is interesting—one of the planets on the frontier is Morph. Funny, isn’t that where you were born, Buzz?"

"Yes. Your point?"

"Oh, well, it just seems to me," she rested her chin in her palm smugly, "that you would be more familiar with the locals and much better suited to questioning them than I would. I don’t know this region, but you do. _You_ should be the one handling this part of the investigation!"

Booster was afraid Buzz would get angry, but instead he sighed in defeat. "I suppose you’re right... it does make more sense for me to go down there. It’s been a long time, though. Too long maybe..." He shook away the memories. "Alright, Nova, you win. 42's yours—look after her and report back if you find anything. XR," he swivelled to face the little robot, "you’re with me." Rising from his seat, he led XR across the bridge and paused at Booster’s station. "If you do encounter any hostiles, don’t hesitate to defend yourselves. Several ships have gone missing already. I don’t want to add you to the list."

Booster saluted. "Understood, sir!"

Stepping through the door, Buzz saluted back. "Good luck." The doors slid closed with a swoosh.

"Looks like it’s just you and me, Booster," Mira announced. "It’s gonna be fun!"

"I wonder what we’ll find out there," mused the Jo-Adian. "I... I wish Buzz had come with us. What if there’s something dangerous there? L-like some ship-eating monster or something..."

"Relax, it’ll be fine," smiled Mira. "We’ll be careful."

The ship’s intercom crackled and Buzz’s voice came through. "Ready to launch the shuttle, Ranger Nova."

"Copy that. Releasing docking clamps." Mira entered a command into her interface. "You’re safe to proceed!"

A shudder ran through the ship as the shuttle broke away. Booster’s ears drooped as he watched the smaller vessel fly past the blastshield, heading away and growing smaller as it plunged into the field of streaking stars. Now they were on their own, without Buzz to help them if they got into trouble.

Unfazed, Mira hummed as she plotted in their course. "Just between you and me," she grinned, "I kinda hope we _do_ find something out there..."

Booster said nothing and clutched his console tighter.

* * *

Tap. Tap. Tap. Buzz drummed his fingers on the panel in front of him, his chin resting in his other hand. With most of the cockpit walls taken up by the windows, the shuttle’s interior was darker than 42's, illuminated only by the blue glow of the computer screens. The lighting flickered whenever the readouts changed, but remained strong enough to see by. Buzz would still have gladly traded it for the cheery ambience of 42's bridge.

He didn’t want to be there. But Mira was right, he needed to give her more responsibility. She would never learn anything if he didn’t let her spread her wings. And as much as he loved a little action, he had no problem giving her the more exciting assignment. After the president’s death, he hadn’t had his usual appetite for danger anyway. So what _was_ his problem?

Morph.

How many years had it been? Fifteen at least. Nana had wanted to visit her old neighbourhood one last time, so he’d taken her there for a short look around. Before that? He couldn’t remember. If anything, he’d avoided the place like the plague. Too many memories, and not enough of them good for him to want to go back. Capital Planet had always been his home, and in time Star Command had become a second home. But never Morph.

Yet here he was, on his way to that barren wasteland of a planet. He could have ordered Mira to take the assignment; she would have been mad, but he could handle the princess’s hot temper. Instead he’d given in. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but he knew it was what he should do.

"You have the frontier in your blood," Nana had said once. "That’s why you’re such a fine Ranger. You were born on the edge of the galaxy, and you have that untamed spirit in you. You’ve tried to hide it under a civilised Capital Planet upbringing, but I know it’s there."

Maybe it was time he came to terms with his past.

He glanced at his metal companion, who sat twiddling his thumbs in the adjoining seat. At least it was XR with him and not Mira. He appreciated her emotional sensitivity, but it was the last thing he needed at that moment. Some people liked to talk about their issues. Buzz Lightyear was not one of those people. There was a reason he always stuck himself behind a mountain of paperwork in the filing office when it was time for Animus’s annual psych evals.

It was a short trip to Morph, even by shuttle. As the brown world grew in size, Buzz felt the memories rushing back. He was eighteen again, fresh out of school, blasting through a stretch of space traffic amid angry fist-shaking from his fellow drivers. The engine purred as he accelerated, leaving a trail of jet fumes in its wake. He could feel the vibration of the thrusters through his fingers as he clenched the wheel, twisting and turning the controls to get the vehicle through the traffic. Light glinted off the chrome grill and sparkled across the spotless hood in a shimmering wave. It was his first car, and a beauty at that, bought with all his savings and a little help from Nana. With months to go before the Star Command entrance exams opened, he’d decided to take a little road trip so he could see the galaxy. And somehow his route had taken him there, to Morph.

But that was all in the past. He wasn’t some carefree, reckless kid stepping out into the universe for the first time anymore. He was Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger, and he was there on a mission.

The larger the planet grew, the more ships they began to see around them, though Buzz noted with surprise that the traffic was thinner than it had been in his memories. Ships arriving and departing crossed their airspace, some shiny and modern but most dented and old. Cracked windows, amateur patch jobs, rusty hulls—it was like taking a trip through a scrapyard. Buzz suspected half the vessels wouldn’t pass a routine spaceside inspection, and the bikers magneto-locked to some of the ships would’ve been arrested for hitchhiking if this were Capital Planet. But it wasn’t—it wasn’t even up to Trade World standards. It was Morph, still a frontier world even after several decades of colonisation, and things like this were the norm.  

"Hey!" XR yelled as a rattletrap cargo ship overtook them and almost clipped the left wing. "Road hog!" The robot turned to Buzz. "Man, we’re really out in the backwaters here, aren’t we?

Buzz shrugged. "The Galactic Alliance has never made the rim worlds a priority, so they don’t get enough funding out here. It’s not easy to live on the frontier, but people do their best to survive."

"Why would anyone even want to live here?" Scratching his dome, XR gazed at the fast-approaching planet. "Why don’t they leave, like you did?"

"I had somewhere to go. Most of them don’t." And many wouldn’t leave if they could. Morph would never be his home, but it was theirs, and he respected that. He leaned into the microphone. "Morph space traffic control, this is Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear in Shuttle 42 requesting permission to land."

Confirmation came through a moment later, and Buzz eased the ship down through the atmosphere. The planet’s features began to form in front of them, sharp lines crisscrossing the surface indicating mountains, and blue cracks spreading out from the oceans, snaking their way over the landscape. Patches of green were scattered here and there, signs of life amidst the vast dry deserts.

Vapour suddenly obscured the viewport, puffing up in white wisps as the shuttle cut through the clouds. The heat radiating from the engines cleared it up in seconds and steam streamed past the windows, condensing in a little droplets along the side of the windows.

Beneath them, civilisation came into view at last, a collection of towns sprawled out near the coast. The largest town, fondly called the City, boasted a landing strip and a few tall buildings, while the rest of the towns were simple villages located near farms and mines. Fifteen years since Buzz’s last visit, it looked like little had changed.

Locating an empty bay on the landing strip, Buzz eased off the thrusters and brought the shuttle down, scooting along the runway until he reached the opening. He cut the engine and guided the ship in with the remaining momentum, braking once they were within the bay.

"So, where to, skipper?" XR asked.

Relaxing his grip on the throttle and unbuckling the seatbelt, Buzz stood up. "I want you to speak to the local authorities and find out if there have been any reports of ships disappearing or anything strange spotted near Sector 47."

Jumping out the chair, XR saluted. "Righto, Buzz! Where are you going?"

"I want to speak to some of the locals. Maybe someone knows something that they didn’t report."

Sunlight burst through the hatch as Buzz stepped out the ship. The air was dry and gusty, bringing with it a taste of dust. Angry clouds huddled on the horizon, but the sky above was a brilliant blue and heat waves rippled off the long runway.

"I’ll check in with you in an hour." Nodding a goodbye to XR, he marched across the tarmac. Each step stirred a billow of brown dust. He coughed, wondering how he’d forgotten the sand storms that the City regularly endured. The storms would leave everything covered in several inches of dust, and woe to you if you forgot to batten down all the windows. He used to watch the storms as they raged around his house when he was a child, clutching his stuffed bear and waiting for the wind to stop howling.

The streets were noisier than he remembered. Children slid down the sloping, sand-covered road on boards, a vendor called out to passersby while holding up fried nzetnek on a stick, traders bargained together on street corners, and robot-driven carts filled with ore went by. The City had grown since his last visit, and everything was busier.

Buzz waved away a fly circling his face and surveyed his surroundings. A diner, a few stores, some apartments, a bank, school... a library. That hadn’t been there before. He nodded in approval. His eyes fell on a dingy bar with a broken sign reading "The Blue Comet". If the local traders and pilots gathered anywhere, it would be there.

Entering the dim establishment, he was greeted by the overpowering stench of alcohol and sweat. Dirty men and women in miner’s gear were scattered throughout the room, drowning their exhaustion in liquor. Other patrons were still in their spacesuits, indicating travellers, and those were the ones Buzz was interested in. Some sat by the bar, but most were gathered in a circle at the far end of the room, a pile of money stacked on the table and cards in each person’s hand.

A few heads turned to see who had entered, and Buzz noted the looks of displeasure, contempt, and even fear on their faces. It was much the same welcome he got every time he visited a seedy dive on Trade World. The uniform had that effect on people. Ignoring the stares, he walked up to the bar. Maybe if he ordered something it would set a few minds at ease.

"One Solar Flare, barkeep." He set a couple of uni-bucks on the counter. "I’ll be at the poker table." Strolling across the room, his boots clunking on the concrete floor, he approached the ring of players.

The reptilian dealer raised his flat face from the cards and eyed Buzz suspiciously. "You’re a long way from home, Ranger. Whatcha want? Gambling’s legal here, ‘case you ain’t heard."

Raising his hands in a conciliatory manner, Buzz took a seat at the table. "I’m not here to cause any trouble. Name’s Buzz. I just want to talk."

"‘Bout what?" The scaly dealer shuffled the deck. "We’re here to play, mister, not talk."

"I only need a moment of your time." Perhaps he should have left his uniform on the ship and worn civvies instead. Most people were more open when they weren’t staring at the badge. "I’ve been hearing stories about strange activity in this region. I was wondering if you knew anything about that."

The players laughed. "This is the galactic frontier," a Vulturan sneered. "Strange is part of the routine for us."

"I’m talking about ships disappearing, and unknown vessels being sighted in Sector 47." He leaned back. "Anything out of the ordinary for you pilots."  

"Hey!" The shout came from behind him. "What are you doing back here?!" He spun around to see who had spoken and received the contents of a drink splashed in his face. Wiping the Solar Flare from his eyes, he found himself staring at a horrified young woman holding an empty tray. "Oh, galaxies, I’m sorry!" she gulped. "I thought you were someone else. I am so, so sorry!"

Buzz managed a smile. "It’s, uh, it’s okay, ma’am."

"Here, let me help." She pulled out a handkerchief and mopped up the dripping liquid. "I thought you were someone who used to make trouble around here awhile back. I’m really sorry, Ranger! I-I’ll get you another drink, on the house!"

Wiping the last drops from his face, Buzz shook his head. "Not necessary. I wasn’t thirsty anyway."

She put the tray under her arm. "Well... okay. I guess I should leave you in peace. I didn’t mean to disturb you." Lingering a moment, she looked at him curiously, began to walk away, then turned back. "You... you said something about... ships disappearing?"

"Ignore him, Treena," the dealer cautioned. "He’s a Ranger."

Buzz raised an eyebrow. "Do you know something?"

Stepping forward, Treena nodded. "I do. And Gavik," she eyed the reptilian icily, "if he can help me, then I don’t care if he works for Emperor Zurg himself." She put down the empty tray. "Come, Ranger, let’s talk in private."

They left the poker ring and found an empty table on the other side of the room. Buzz lowered himself into the creaky chair and cleared his throat. "Alright, ma’am, what can you tell me?"

"Call me Treena." She smiled, brushing a dusty string of hair out her eyes. "You haven’t told me your name."

"Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear at your service." He offered his hand.

She accepted it, her dainty brown hand lost amongst his broad fingers as they shook. "Lightyear? I know that name. No relation to Kay Lightyear, are you? Mom used to live next-door to her."  

"She was my mother."

"I’m sorry." Treena shrugged. "Anyway, about Sector 47. My husband Hal is a pilot for one of the mining corporations. He delivers ore shipments to the processing centre on Trade World, and his route takes him straight through 47..."

Buzz raised an eyebrow. "Has he seen something?"

"I don’t know," Treena sighed. "He’s been missing a week. He never reached Trade World and his last check-in was as he was entering Sector 47." Her eyes rested on the ground. "At first I thought maybe he’d been delayed by a plasma storm, or his communications were down. Then I asked one of the freighter captains going that way to look out for him. He never saw a thing. That’s when I started worrying."

Finally Buzz was onto something. He leaned forward eagerly. "Have you reported this to the authorities?"

"Yeah, for all the good it’ll do. They don’t have the resources to search for him. And he’s not the first to go missing either—there’ve been others before him." She frowned. "Something’s not right out there. We’ve had problems like this before, but that was always space pirates. There haven’t been any pirates around here in months."

That caught Buzz’s attention. "No pirates? I thought this area was infested with them."

"Used to be. They disappeared suddenly, a few months back. Hal says they moved to Delta."

Buzz rubbed his chin. It didn’t make any sense. The pickings in the Delta Quadrant were a lot slimmer than the rim, and Delta was better patrolled. Why would they leave... unless someone or _something_ drove them away?

* * *

"So, Booster..." Crossing her legs and resting them on the control console in front of her, Mira leaned back and glanced in Booster’s direction. "You went out with Petra last night?"

"Um, uh, y-yeah," Booster stammered. "W-why do you ask?"

The Tangean shrugged. "Just curious, that’s all." Then her brow furrowed. "You do remember she has a boyfriend, right?"

"Of... of course!" He blushed. "We were only talking. She and I are just friends. Well, er..." He shifted uncomfortably under Mira’s scrutiny. "Okay, sometimes I still... kind of think about Petra. Sometimes I wish she wasn’t dating Plasma Boy... B-but I know there probably won’t ever be anything between us, so I try not to think about it a lot."

Mira nodded, the corners of her mouth curled down. "Yeah, you know, that’s probably a good idea. If you want a girlfriend, I think you should look elsewhere. There are plenty of other nice women who’d love to go out with a sweet guy like you, so maybe don’t go after the one who’s already taken, ‘kay?"

"Yeah, I-I know. And thanks." Booster blushed again. "But, uh, I don’t think I’ll be dating anyone for awhile. I... I’m too scared to try." He sighed in shame. "I mean, look what happened with Petra. That almost turned out really bad."

"You just need to gain a little self-confidence," Mira told him gently. "You’re a great guy. If you just—" Her console started beeping. Looking startled, Mira jumped up and checked the screen. "Craters, I hope I haven’t pressed something by mistake..."

"It’s no mistake." Booster read the alert on his screen. "42 just picked up another ship on sensors! It’s up ahead. Looks like a freighter." He frowned. "Something’s wrong, though—it’s just hanging there in space. I’m detecting massive damage to all systems."

"Yeah, I can see that," said Mira, her outstretched finger directed at an object lying in front of them. The red freighter was drifting askew, black scorch marks dotting the hull. Pieces of shrapnel and other debris floated beside a jagged hole that had been blasted into the side, and the engines had been reduced to burned-out shells. No light emanated from the cracked windows.

Booster gasped. "Who would have done something like this?"

"Could be pirates," shrugged Mira. "Could also be our mystery guys. I think we should go in for a closer look. Prepare the launch tubes—we’re gonna board that ship. Maybe the autopilot can tell us something."

They put up their helmets and entered the launch tubes, ejecting into space and firing up their jetpacks. Booster followed Mira towards the derelict freighter, flattening his ears fearfully as he looked around. There was no sign of the attacker, but with most of the power out, the ship had an eerie feel to it.

Mira led him through the debris field, bypassing the airlock and pausing beside the blast hole. The blackened metal around the opening was twisted and torn, exposing pipes and wires, a few of them still sparking. Nodding to Booster, the Tangean passed through the breach and landed in a darkened hall. Booster gritted his teeth and followed. Inside, even the gravity levels were low, so they had to magnetise their boots before they could continue.

"Where do we go now?" Booster asked, taking out a flashlight so they could see.

"Let’s get to the bridge. That should be where the autopilot is." Mira led the way, aided by the light Booster shone ahead of them, and they travelled cautiously through the ship. Booster kept glancing around, half-expecting some monster to leap out of the darkness and attack them.

The halls were long and winding, black as night where the flashlight’s beam didn’t fall and deathly quiet. Even the tread of their feet on the metal floor was silent in the airless void.

"I don’t like it here," Booster mumbled.

"Tell me about it," nodded Mira. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

At last they reached the doors to the bridge, and Mira pressed the wall controls to open them. Nothing happened. She tried again, hammering the controls with her fist when the doors remained sealed.

"Guess I’m gonna have to ghost through..." she sighed.

"Hold on, let me try." Handing her the flashlight, Booster ran his hands over the doors and located the seam between them. Digging his fingers into the crack, he pushed and pulled until the doors buckled and finally gave way. Standing aside, he allowed Mira entry.

"Oh, man," the princess gasped. "This is not good!"

The cockpit had suffered a direct hit. The glass window had been blown open, exposing everything inside to the vacuum of space. The walls were blackened from the blast, and panels hung open, the components inside melted. Up front beside the controls lay the remains of the autopilot. It too was scorched and in disarray, circuitry exposed and various parts missing, probably now floating outside the ship. If not for the control console in front shielding it, the robot would have been destroyed in the blast as well.

Booster whimpered when he saw it, stepping forward to cradle its burned head sympathetically. "You poor thing." Some people wouldn’t have cared—it was just a machine, after all—but he thought of his own robotic friend, and his heart filled with sorrow at the sad end this robot had come to. "What are we going to do now?"

"W-well..." Mira seemed at a loss now that they’d run into this unfortunate snag. "We can take it back with us. Maybe the LGMs can work their magic when we get back to Star Command."

Nodding, Booster scooped all the parts he could find into his arms. "Are we going to leave now?"

"No. We need to dig deeper into this mystery." Mira’s eyes roved across the ruined cockpit. "Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be able to restore enough power to check the ship’s records. However, if the autopilot’s black box is still intact, maybe that’ll tell us something."

Feeling like a grave robber, Booster set the remains of the robot on a control console and prised open the compartment in its chest. He slid his hand in tentatively and felt around, soon coming into contact with something hard and square. "I found it," he told Mira. "It seems to be okay." After taking out the black box, he closed up the robot again and bundled it and its parts under his arm.    

Mira led him out the bridge and back through the hall. "Let’s check the cargo hold," she said. "If space pirates were responsible, the hold should be empty."

The layout of the freighter was simple enough, so it didn’t take them long to find the entrance to the cargo hold. Setting the autopilot down gently, Booster forced open the door, panting as he stepped back to let Mira in.

She held up the flashlight, treading forward on tiptoes as she peered inside. Booster peeked over her shoulder. The beam fell on an empty wall and swept across the room, glinting off specks of cosmic dust. Shadows rose on the walls as the light met objects huddled in the far corner of the hold.

Rolling out Mira’s hand, the flashlight hit the floor and the room went black again. "Sweet Mother of Venus."

Booster’s heart was thumping as he tried to digest what he had just seen. "Mira..."

"I-I..." His teammate groped in the dark for the flashlight. "We have to tell Buzz about this." There was a snap as she flicked the light on again and they both gulped at the sight before them.

Dozens of bodies lay in the corner. They were a mix of species, all clustered around an air vent on the wall, one of them still grasping it desperately even in death. The lack of oxygen had left them perfectly preserved, so there was no telling how long they’d been there. Some clutched each other, perhaps seeking comfort in their final moments, while others were slumped stiffly against the wall. No colour remained in their faces.

"Who would have done this?" Booster blinked back tears.

Mira’s voice was hushed, almost a whimper. "I don’t kn-know. These... these must be the people... you know, from the missing ships. These are the crews. This is why they never came back."

His lower lip trembling, Booster gazed at the dead strewn across the hold. "W-what do we do?"

With a sigh, Mira answered, "We’re g-going to—to have to bring them aboard 42 and check them all for identification."

Booster’s shoulders went limp. "B-but, Mira... they’re dead and—and—and dead! We can’t bring them aboard!"

"We can’t just leave them here. We’ll... we’ll stow them in the brig."

It took multiple trips to get all the bodies off the freighter and onto 42. Mira could only drag one at a time, but Booster was able to carry several in his arms. The hardest part had been touching the first one. Even though they were now cold and rigid, he couldn’t shake the knowledge that they had once been living, breathing people just like him. It just didn’t feel _right_ to disturb them. But Mira had steeled herself and pulled one into her arms, so he did the same. The first one he picked up was a red woman, now red-grey, who wore a simple spacesuit. Someone had removed the oxygen supply, rendering the suit useless. Booster tried not to look at her face.

He and Mira were both relieved when they hauled the last of the corpses out the hold, dragging them easily through the hall in the lowered gravity. Finally they reached the blast hole, and Booster took one last look at the ship. It no longer felt so eerie—now it just seemed sad and abandoned. The freighter company wouldn’t be interested in the vessel now that the cargo was missing, as the ship itself had been damaged beyond repair, so it would probably drift through the vast emptiness of space for many years to come, until it was finally scrapped for parts by some scavenger or drifted too close to a star. It was a lonely end for anything to suffer, even a ship, and Booster sighed despondently. Patting the wall as if in some vain attempt to reassure the dead vessel, he turned away and followed his teammate out the hole, the last body draped over his shoulder.    

Once they were back on 42 and the corpses were all safely stowed in the brig, Booster dumped the remains of the autopilot in the empty chair beside Mira. It occurred to him for the first time that Mira was still sitting at her usual station, instead of in Buzz’s chair, and he wondered why. In all the times Mira had been in command of 42, he couldn’t ever remember her taking the captain’s seat. He wondered if she was secretly frightened of responsibility, however much she insisted on it.

His train of thought was derailed when he noticed a loose piece of metal with an inscription etched into its surface lying amongst the pile of robot parts. "AP-99" was written on the metal fragment, undoubtedly the name of the unfortunate autopilot. "Mira," he said softly.

"Yeah? What is it, Booster?" Mira, about to fire up the engines, turned to look at him. "Something wrong?"

The Jo-Adian nodded. "I know this robot. This was Autopilot-99—we met him once, remember?"

Mira had to pause a moment to think, then her face lit up with recollection. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, you mean the autopilot we rescued from the freighter Zurg shipped NOS-4-A2 on? That guy?"

"Yes." Booster’s ears drooped.

"Man," Mira sighed. "I hope the LGMs can fix him. I mean, he was kind of annoying, but..."

They fell into silence, both staring at the pitiful remains of the autopilot and thinking about all the death they’d just faced, until Booster finally went to his station and Mira put her hand on the throttle. Before she could push it down, however, the console let out a loud, familiar beep.

"We’ve got another ship on sensors," Booster announced, settling in his chair. His eyes widened. "Only this one’s not dead, that’s for sure! It’s coming in fast with weapons locked onto us!" His gaze met Mira’s and they stared helplessly at each other.

_I wish Buzz was here,_ was the first thought that ran through his mind as he watched the blinking light on his screen grow bigger and bigger.


	6. Chapter 5

Green flashes lit the screen, like a chain of glistening emeralds. Mira threw the throttle down and the ship lurched away, narrowly missing the spread of laser fire. "Who are they?" she yelled, scrambling to input an escape course.

"It’s... a Shragarakian transport?" Booster squinted at his screen. "But someone’s outfitted it with plasma cannons and deflector shields! And whoever they are, they sure don’t like us!"

A quick glance told her he was right. Circling 42 with its weapons trained on them, the attacking ship dove in for another strike. "Ready weapons and hang on tight, Booster!" Mira clenched the controls, her knuckles whitening. "I don’t think we’re going to get out of this without a fight!"

She pulled to the right, but the other vessel had anticipated her move and was already on their tail. 42 rocked as an energy blast collided with the hull, and the lights on the bridge dimmed momentarily. Feeling perspiration forming on her brow, Mira yanked the ship’s controls left and right, trying to outmaneuver their attacker. Light flooded the bridge as another volley headed straight for the viewport. Her first instinct was to duck and shield her eyes, but instead she kept her hands locked on the controls and her eyes on the screen. A jerk of the joystick brought the ship plunging down, and the blast passed overhead. Before she could sigh in relief, a shudder ran through the bridge and she saw a damage alert appear on her screen.

"Craters," she cursed. "That shot took out the upper landing fin. But we’ll worry about that later. It’s time we brought the fight to them. Booster, target that ship and fire!"

"Aye, aye, Mira!"

Mira swung the cruiser around to face the other ship and 42's guns opened fire. Streaks of light streamed across the black expanse towards their attacker, who swerved sharply to the left, but not fast enough. One beam grazed their left wing, rippling across the shield in a wave of red energy and fizzling out.

"I don’t think we’re gonna win in a straight fight, Mira," fretted Booster. "We may be bigger, but that shield just absorbs our weapons! We don’t have enough firepower to take them out!"

Mira looked at him helplessly. "B-but th-there must be some... I mean, there’s got to be a... Buzz would know what to— Wait, I’ve got it!" She grinned. "Cover us with the rear batteries, Booster. We’re gonna lose them in the asteroid field!"

"What? Mira, are you sure that’s a good idea?" grimaced Booster. "With their small ship, they’ll be able to maneuver in there better than we can!"

"But it’ll be it a lot harder for them to hit us with all those asteroids in the way. If we’re lucky, we might just be able to make it out of their sights long enough to ditch them."

She pushed the throttle forward and directed the ship towards the belt of asteroids that loomed in front of them. Pocked by meteor impacts, the huge chunks of rocks hung in a loose string formation, drifting slowly across the expanse. The transport was hot on their tail, and she had to dodge its attacks as she made for the asteroids. Booster was returning fire, but the few shots that connected did little to slow it down.

"We’re going in," Mira announced. "Watch out for those asteroids—the scanners are warning me they contain some highly volatile minerals. If the weapons hit them, the explosion might take care of us before our friend does!"

42 dived through an opening in the field, dipping and wheeling as Mira navigated at full speed through gaps between the hazardous rocks. For once she was grateful for all the lessons in concentration she’d had as a child. The screen on her right showed the attacker was still following them, but had slowed considerably when they entered the field. Either the pilot wasn’t as brave as her, or they simply couldn’t match her focus and had to slow to avoid hitting the rocks.

"Ha, they may be more maneuverable, but I think we’re still going to lose them!" Mira smirked. "Can you give us more speed, Booster?"

"No," the Jo-Adian gulped. "The engines are at max already, and I don’t think you should be celebrating just yet. I’m picking up energy signatures all around us!"

"Huh, what?" Glancing into space, Mira saw nothing but rocks. "Are you sure about that? It could just be background—" in a flash, dozens of ships emerged from behind the asteroids, surrounding 42 "—radiation." A medley of colours and shapes filled her vision. Raenok fighters, Trixian shuttles, generic trader ships, Delrubian freighters, and even an old Valkyran raider—it was like a catalogue of galactic vessels, except each one had been fitted with the same weaponry and shielding as the transport. Furrowing her brow, Mira threw every ounce of concentration she had into dancing through the field of fire as blasts rained down all around them. In and out of gaps, around enemy ships, between asteroids; it was a long and dangerous route to get away. Blasts rocked the ship, taking out one of the engines and slowing their escape.

"Come on!" Mira yelled, willing the ship to go faster. The other ships were gaining, trying to surround them again, and she knew if 42 became boxed in they’d never make it out alive.

"I wish Buzz were here," Booster whimpered softly.

Mira found herself wishing the same thing. But wishing wouldn’t do them any good, so she drove those thoughts away. The idea of surrendering occurred to her, but she immediately wrote it off as unacceptable. They didn’t even know who their enemy was, let alone what they’d do with them if they were captured. Fighting them off was impossible. It looked like their only option was escape—Morph wasn’t far, and their attackers seemed determined to avoid notice. If 42 could get close enough to Morph, the other vessels would probably break off their pursuit. _It’s getting away that’s the problem_ , Mira thought grimly, checking her screen. Soon most of the enemy fleet would be upon them, and they’d be trapped, destined to die alone in an empty asteroid field.

"Of course, the asteroids!" she blurted out.

Booster blinked. "What?"

"Fire on all the asteroids directly behind us!"

The Jo-Adian’s perplexity increased. "But, Mira, that’ll—"

"Just do it!"

"Alright, alright." His fingers working furiously across the controls, he aimed the rear batteries at the chunks of rock that lay behind them. Mira gave a nod, praying she was right, and he slammed his palm down on the red fire button. Vibrations ran through the floor, rattling Mira’s teeth, and she could sense the power surging across the conduits to the guns as they charged and fired. Then things really got ugly. "Asteroids hit, and boy, are they going off like balloons!" warned Booster. "We’re going to get caught in the shockwave!"

The bridge went red as alarms blared and alerts flashed across the screens, furiously protesting the course of action they’d just taken. The whole ship rocked, throwing Mira against the front console. She bit her tongue as her head hit the panel and the taste of copper filled her mouth, but she shook her head. "Not if we fly fast enough! That explosion should keep our friends busy, which’ll give us a chance to escape!" Narrowing her eyes, she focused on the opening dead ahead that led out the asteroid field. "Almost there..."

Checking her screen, she saw the explosion was wreaking havoc on their pursuers, who’d been caught in the midst of it. One ship was torn apart when a piece of debris slammed into it, smashing clean through and scattering shrapnel everywhere. Another was knocked off course by the shockwave and collided with the Valkyran raider, both of them going up in a massive fireball. The rest were desperately trying to escape the shockwave. "I think we’re going to make it!" Mira cheered.

"I’m not so sure." Booster frowned. "According to my calculations, the shockwave will reach us ten seconds before we clear the field!"

"Can’t you give me _any_ more speed?"

"Only if I divert power from life supp—"

"Do it!" Mira’s arms ached as she gripped the throttle, but she clung on furiously and felt another surge of energy pulse through the ship as Booster rerouted power to the engines. The asteroids were reduced to blurs as they accelerated through the field and she was now merely guessing as she zigzagged the ship to avoid hitting anything. The shockwave streamed forward in an expanding ball of energy, the distance between it and 42 closing rapidly. Mira desperately hoped it wouldn’t reach them until they were out of the field and couldn’t be knocked off-course into any of the asteroids. 42's hull could withstand the fading force of the wave once they were outside the rocks, and all they’d have to do then was ride it out until it dissipated.

"Shockwave collision in three..."

 _Come on, come on,_ she urged the ship, her eyes fixed on the widening gap between two asteroids on the edge of the field.

"Two..."

_Please, just a little faster, we’re almost there..._

"One!"

42 cleared the last rocks, bursting into a stretch of empty space that had never looked so good. As Mira slumped gratefully against her chair, she felt the ship lurch from the force of the shockwave. A few more alarms went off in the background, warnings flashing angrily over the screens, but Mira ignored them. The worst was over. They’d made it away from the attacking ships and away from the asteroids. Any damage the cruiser sustained from the shockwave could be repaired when they reached Star Command. What mattered was they were still alive.

"No sign of pursuit from the enemy vessels," Booster told her. "I’m sorry I doubted you, Mira. You did it! That was a great plan—the sort of thing Buzz would think of!"

"It was a stupid plan," she laughed tiredly. "But thanks."

* * *

It was a dry wasteland. No flowers scrambled around the graves, no blossoms brightened the landscape, no lush lawn carpeted the final resting place of the dead. Only stark stones rising from a dusty plain, shaded by a crumbling cliff that had weathered many a sandstorm. There wasn’t a living thing in site.

Perhaps it was fitting that way.

And yet, someone had swept the dust from the graves. Someone had chiselled in names and dates where the wind had erased them, brushing all the sand from the cracks in the stone. Even on the frontier, the dead were not forgotten.

Buzz stood on the outskirts of the lonely cemetery, his eyes wandering from grave to grave. He’d left Treena at the bar, promising to tell her if his rookies found anything. They hadn’t called in yet, and XR was still at the records office, so he’d found himself with some free time on his hands. How he ended up at the cemetery he wasn’t sure—his feet just seemed to have carried him there.

The name he was searching for caught his eye, a modest tombstone near the back of the graveyard. Circling around the other graves, he slipped into the burial ground and stopped in front of the stone marker. Etched into its granite surface was a simple epitaph, too generic perhaps but all Nana could afford, and the name. Kay Lightyear.

_My mother._

If he shut his eyes, he could still picture her. Short blue locks that reached her shoulders, a gaunt face with thin lips and eyes that were perpetually shadowed and bloodshot. She always wore the same dusty jacket over a stained shirt, finished off by a pair of faded grey jeans. In hindsight, she was no beauty, but as a five-year-old he’d thought her the most perfect woman in the universe.

_I was wrong, though. That was Nana._

He always wondered why Kay had gone so far to escape Nana, and why she left in the first place. His grandmother had never been very forthcoming on the details, only telling him there’d been fights. Probably about Kay’s reckless attitude towards life, but Buzz wasn’t sure. Nana could never talk about her daughter long before her voice began to crack and she would change the subject.

Kay’s life hadn’t been any easier on Morph than it’d been on Capital Planet. A few months after she got there she’d fallen pregnant—Buzz had never known his father, and he’d never asked—and it went steadily downhill from there. Buzz remembered the sleepless nights he spent hugging his bear, trying not to hear his mother crying in the other room. The mornings when there was only dry toast for breakfast because the money had run out again. The days his mother stayed in bed, too spaced out to do anything.

And finally, there was the day she locked herself in the bathroom and never came out. He’d pounded tearfully on the door, begging her to say something, until one of the neighbours heard him. Soon the house was filled with strange people and Nana was there, telling him he was coming home to live with her. All he could do was hang onto her and his bear, asking over and over what happened to mommy. Nana had said she was gone.

_She was right. Kay had been gone a long time already._

Buzz brushed his hand across the granite. "You tried. It wasn’t enough, but you tried." There had been good times. He knew his mother had loved him, and he’d loved her. That counted for something.

It was a short walk back to the City. He felt strangely peaceful as he trudged through the sand, accompanied only by the howling of the wind. Once he’d visited her grave in anger, furious at her for not being there. "I’m going to be a Space Ranger!" He’d kicked a heap of dust at the tombstone, his throat tightening as he’d stared down at where his mother rested. "I always said I would. I’m applying in summer! You should be here to see it! Why aren’t you?" The walk back had been a sullen one then. But that was more than twenty years in the past, and a lot had changed in that time. Sometimes you had to learn to forgive.              

The wind picked up, stirring up waves of brown dust. Buzz paused to survey the lonely scene one last time. "I did it. I’m a Ranger now." _I’d like to think you’d be proud of me if you could see me now._ In a way, he’d chosen his path because of her. Knowing what adversity felt like had compelled him to fight it at every turn. He wanted to make things better—for everyone. Maybe some good had come out of his early life after all. "Goodbye," he whispered.

* * *

"Oh, sure, you think you’re tough, but I can smell your fear, tiny. You don’t have anything, you’re bluffing, trying to pull a fast one on ol’ XR. Well, let me tell you, it’s not gonna work! No sir! Poker’s my game, I know what’s up." XR reached into his chest compartment, drawing out a wad of cash. "How about we up the stakes a little?"

The hulking trucker from Beta Bayou nodded and slammed down his cards, rattling the table. "Show me what you got, robot."

"Read ‘em and weep, my friend!" Flipping over the cards in his hand, XR smirked. "Straight flush. You lose." His grin widened as he watched his opponent grunt and squirm.

"Not possible! You were losing!"

XR shrugged with false modesty. "Must be my lucky day."

The lips at the end of the trucker’s long mouth curled down. "Or maybe you were cheating."

"Cheating? _Me_? For your sake I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that remark."

"Never trust a robot," the dealer warned the trucker. "I been cheated by ‘em before. They got special tricks and algorithms they use to cheat honest folk out o’ their hard-earned cash."

Directing his best indignant look at the dealer, XR swept all the money into his arms. "Well, I think I’ll just be leaving. I know when I’m not welcome."

"Not so fast!" The trucker shoved back his chair and rose, spreading his palms across the table. "Where do you think you’re going with my money, bot?"

"I won it fair and square!" Ducking a swipe aimed at his dome, XR sped for the door, money streaming out his arms as he crossed the room.

His fist still implanted in the wall where XR’s head had been a moment before, the trucker snarled. "Stop him! He cheated me out of a week’s pay!"

"You have no proof of that!" XR slammed to a halt as the patrons around him began to advance menacingly. "Oh, I see how it is, everyone gangs up on the poor little robot! Well, if that’s how you want it, I have only one thing to say to you—AHHH!" Shoving the remaining cash into his chest, he bowled his way through the mob, sending drinks flying and glasses shattering across the floor. A waiter jumped aside to avoid being hit by the speeding robot and made a grab at him, his hands closing around XR’s dome for one terrifying second and then slipping off the curved glass.

"Don’t let him get away!" With a grunt the trucker pulled his arm free from the wall, leaving a large dent that rained plaster. "He’s got my money!"

The back exit was just ahead. His treads smoking, XR surged forward, freedom only a few yards away. He even had time to glance over his shoulder and wave jauntily. "So long, suck—"

Crash. He plowed into a wooden table, bringing its contents onto his head as he crumpled into a heap. Shards of glass and liquor covered his dome where a bottle had smashed, leaving him blind. Lying sprawled on the hard floor, he could feel dents all over his body. "Craters."

"You’re mine, robot!"

He had to get out of there. Scrambling to his feet, he wiped a hand across his helmet, smearing the liquid away and leaving a blurred patch of glass to see through. "Don’t be so— Ahh! Wet floor, wet floor!" Flapping his arms frantically as he skidded on one foot, XR could only scream as the wall approached with alarming rapidity.

"Whoa there, little guy!" He felt a hand on his arm, and before he could protest he was yanked away. He found himself behind a table in the corner of the room, with an attractive young woman still holding his arm.

"Well, hello, sweet thing." Dusting himself off, he flashed what he hoped was a suave grin. "To whom do I owe my thanks? You saved me from having a unpleasant encounter with the brickwork."

She let got of him. "Name’s Treena. You’re a Ranger, right?"

"One of the best."

"Good. Then you’ll know how to get us out of here."

Glancing over the tabletop, XR’s smile faded. The patrons were surrounding the table, led by the grim-faced trucker, his hands balled into fists. "Uh... well..."

The trucker jabbed a finger in their direction. "Hand the bot over, woman. He stole my money!"

"You gambled your money away." Treena folded her arms. "This bot is a Ranger, like that Buzz fellow. They’re investigating the disappearances, and if there’s even a chance of them finding my husband, I’m not going to let you do anything to jeopardise it."

"You think I care? I want that bot, lady!"

XR edged behind Treena’s legs, looking up at her hopefully. He could see she was tempted to hand him over and avoid trouble, but she shook her head at the trucker. "No."

"You’ll be sorry." The trucker punched his fist into the palm of his hand. "We’ve got the door—there’s no way out."

 _This is bad, this is bad._ XR backed away, hitting the wall behind him. His hands closed around cold concrete; there was nothing in their little corner to help them. He scanned the room desperately, looking for a second exit or a friendly face in the mob. Neither could be found. The only door was blocked by patrons, and the windows were all fastened shut. Wait, of course! The windows! "Don’t be so sure!" Rummaging inside his chest, he found what he was looking for.

Treena frowned when she saw what he’d taken out. "What are you doing?"

"XR has the ball!" The smack of rubber on concrete filled the room as XR circled around the table, edging towards the windows. "He dribbles it past his opponents, ready to make the shot of a lifetime! He gets into position..." Raising his arms, he flung the ball forward with all his strength. "He throws the ball... HE SCORES!" The ball connected loudly with one of the windows, bursting through in a shower of glass.

"Come on!" XR grabbed Treena’s arm, dragging her past the momentarily confused mob. "Out the window!" He led the way, brushing aside the remaining shards of glass as he went over and helping Treena through. By the time they were both out the crowd was already after them, but now they had a whole street to lose themselves in and they wasted no time in making their getaway. It didn’t take long to ditch their pursuers, and they finally stopped on a street corner to catch their breath.

"Not bad," Treena laughed, panting.

"I told you I was one of the best." He extended a hand. "XR, robot Ranger. Thanks for the rescue."

"Don’t mention it."

"XR."

Spinning around, he came face to face with his captain. "Hey, Buzz ol’ buddy! Back already?"

Buzz nodded, glancing at Treena. "I see you two have met. Did you find out anything at the records office, XR?"

"Nothing we didn’t already know, so I came here to wait for you."

"He was in the bar when I met him," Treena chuckled. "Almost got pounded by a bunch of drifters for cheating them at cards."

XR felt his smile freeze. "You could’ve left that part out," he muttered out the corner of his mouth.

The full might of Buzz’s disapproving gaze was bearing down on him now. The lowered eyebrows, the tightly-pressed lips, the squinty eyes—it was the patented Lightyear, "you aren’t living up to the Ranger code" glare. XR had found himself on the receiving end of it more than once. "XR," Buzz began, "you’re a good Ranger..."

"One of the best, right?" The robot smiled hopefully.

"You _could_ be."

Not quite the response he was looking for. XR folded his arms. "Here we go..."

"But only if you learn some self-discipline. I make allowances for you I wouldn’t for other Rangers, because you don’t have the experience they have, but I’ll only go so far. It’s time you started conducting yourself with more maturity and professionalism."

"Yeah, yeah." Scooting around Buzz, he pointed to the sky. "Hey, isn’t that 42?"

"Don’t try to get out of this, XR. Gambling and cheating—"

"No, really." He fixed his eyes on the grey shape descending through the sky. "Isn’t that 42? I didn’t think they’d be back so soon."

Finally looking where he was pointing, Buzz shielded his eyes against the sun. "Neither did I."

Growing in size, the ship plunged towards the surface, making for the runway. XR couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw black smoke trailing from one of the engines. Something about the ship seemed off-kilter. He said nothing, deciding not to worry his captain unnecessarily.

"Let’s get to the landing strip. We’ll meet them there." Buzz sprinted off, and XR had no choice but to go after him. Treena followed.

When they arrived, Buzz stopped short, his face registering an expression of horror. It only took a moment for XR to see why. 42 teetered precariously on the pad, one of the struts in ruins. Black blast marks covered the hull, and sparks fell in a steady stream from the scorched remains of the left engine. A blast had struck the blue emblem on the side, effacing the nameplate. Everywhere XR looked, he saw chipped paint, cracked glass, and dented metal. 42 looked more like one of the old cruisers in the Star Command museum— veterans of the Raenok conflict and the battle for Sector 12—than the proud flagship of Star Command’s armada. He was relieved when both Mira and Booster exited the ship, apparently unharmed in spite of the damage.

"Whoa," he remarked as the two Rangers crossed the tarmac. "Mira, what did you do to ol’ 42?"

The princess glared at him, then looked sheepishly at Buzz. "I-I’m sorry..."

XR watched his captain as a mix of emotions passed over his face, waiting for Buzz to settle on one. It wasn’t hard to read what was going through his mind. How had Mira managed to wreck _his_ ship in only one day, what had she been doing, why wasn’t she more careful? However, Buzz mastered his features with some effort and asked calmly, "What happened, Ranger?"

"It wasn’t Mira’s fault," Booster interjected before Mira had a chance to respond. "If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have come back at all!"

Mira shrugged. "We ran into some trouble on the rim... Crumford Lorak was right. There’s definitely something going on out there."

"Explain." Buzz was still staring unhappily at his damaged star cruiser.

"Will do, but first..." She gestured to Booster, and XR noticed for the first time that his friend had a sack draped over his shoulder. "We have someone we need to get to the LGMs, and..." Her shoulders sagged. "We found the crews of the missing ships."

"You did?" Treena, who had been silent up till then, shoved past XR. "Did you find my husband? Short guy, kind of a smartmouth but basically harmless, just like your small metal friend here. His name’s Hal."

Silence. Mira exchanged a look with Booster. There was something in her eyes, a hollowness that hadn’t been there only an hour before when XR last saw her. "Hal Quasar?"

Treena nodded.

"Yeah... we found him." Chewing her lip, Mira seemed to avoid Treena’s gaze, staring anywhere else—the ground, the cruiser, and even meeting XR’s eyes for a moment. She looked tired. "I’m... I’m sorry. I don’t know how to say this... He was dead. They all were."

"What?" Even Buzz looked stunned.

"We brought the bodies back. You can check for yourself, but we’ve already been through all the IDs. He was among them."

Treena looked for an instant like she wanted to strangle Mira, then she went limp, stumbling against XR and grasping his shoulder for support. "No."

The damage to his ship forgotten, Buzz put an arm around Treena, confusion still playing across his features. "What happened out there, Mira?"

She sighed. "I wish I knew myself, sir. I have no idea who’s behind all this or why, but whatever’s going on, it isn’t good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably note, for anyone who might not be aware, that Morph is indeed Buzz's canon home planet, though it's never mentioned in the show (I believe the information comes from the BLoSC annual, though it traces its origins all the way back to Buzz's early development in Toy Story when his name was Tempus from Morph). I enjoyed fleshing it out a bit here. 
> 
> Not too much happens in this chapter, but there's a lot of stuff that'll be thematically relevant later, so keep it in mind! 
> 
> The next chapter is one of my favourites, but be warned it continues along the rather dark path the story has taken (man, I feel bad for putting these poor, wholesome cartoon characters through all this). It'll be awhile before we get more nice things...


	7. Chapter 6

_The wind howled and buffeted him. The red sand stung as it blew into his eyes, and he held up his hands to shield his face. All around there was emptiness and desolation. Red sand stretching like an ocean as far as the eye could see, pierced only by jagged cliffs that loomed on the horizon as dark silhouettes. The desert seemed endless. With no sense of scale, he felt like just another speck of dust in the immeasurable nothingness around him._

_He should head for the cliffs, his rational side—or what remained of it—told him. They would shelter him from the wind, which was getting harsher by the minute. He tried to take a step forward, but his feet wouldn’t move. He couldn’t bring himself to leave the site of the crash._

_Sitting down, he huddled against the side of the wrecked ship and put his face against his knees. He didn’t want to look up. He didn’t want to see the figure lying in the shattered cockpit._

_The smell of blood still clung to his clothes—he suspected he was covered in it. Some of it was his own, and some was hers. A shudder ran through him._

_It was his fault, entirely his fault. Why had he ever allowed her to get involved? Why had he ever allowed_ himself _to get involved? He should have left well enough alone. Now he would die out here, on this lonely planet, thousands of lightyears from everything he knew. Worst of all, the one person who still cared for him was dead. And it was all his fault._

_He shook his head. No. He didn’t kill her. They did. She’d done nothing, and they’d senselessly murdered her. It was_ their _fault._

_His fists tightened._

_It was their fault._

* * *

When his eyes shot open, he found himself staring at the ceiling of his room. He was safely in his own bed, but the covers were tangled around his limbs, and his head felt moist with sweat. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then checked the time. It was just past midnight—still hours before the sun came up.

He dropped his head against the pillow and tried to close his eyes, but memories kept flashing back. The dream that had awoken him—a dream he’d had often—was one of many that haunted him. He couldn’t shake it from his mind, and at last he gave up all thought of sleep and left his bed to pace the room.

What could he do? Morning was far away yet, and trying to sleep was useless. None of his favourite shows would be on at this time, and for once he wasn’t in the mood to rewatch the Lightyear files in his spy footage collection.

Stopping by an open window, he stuck his head out and inhaled deeply, hoping the fresh air would clear his mind. Fresh, of course, was a relative term—the air smelled of sulphur and pollution, with just a dash of smoke thrown in for good measure. He gazed out upon the industrial city below, comforted by its grimness. This was his empire. He’d built it from the ground up, aided by the ceaseless toils of his minions, until it was the powerful, dreaded force it was today.

His eyes slowly roved beyond the city, settling on the distant horizon. Bleak desert still ruled out there, and lined against the dark red sky were the rough hulks of rock that edged the desert, forming steep, craggy cliffs. His city was ever growing, but much of the planet’s surface still remained unbroken. It would probably always be so. There was always something more to conquer...

He turned away from the window. There was no real solace out there—not even in his empire. All of it felt empty. _He_ felt empty. It wasn’t a new feeling, but usually he could keep it locked deep within a small corner of himself. Now the walls had been smashed down, and he found himself frequently remembering the way things used to be, the way they still could be if he’d made different choices, and the weight of those thoughts was crushing.

With a sweep of his arm, he sent a row of neatly-arranged odds and ends flying off a nearby shelf. Then, turning his attention to the wall, he scraped deep nail marks into it. Pain shot into his fingers as he dug his claws through the metal, but it only made him dig deeper. It was better than emptiness. Pain was _something_. The metal screeched as his talons raked thick gouges across the wall, sparks flaring in the dark.

Twisting around, his eyes fell on his bed, and he yanked his hand from the wall and swiped at the pillow. Feathers puffed up in fluffy clouds as he shredded the unfortunate object, attacking it until only a few tattered rags were left. His inner demons momentarily satisfied, he stood to survey the room. Lucidity returned to him, and he snorted.

"What am I doing?" he wondered out loud. Why was he destroying his own bedroom? How would that help? If he needed to work off this frustration, why wreck things that belonged to him when he could put his anger to good use instead?

* * *

The sound of someone opening the cell woke her, and she shielded her face as light flooded into the dark room. Somehow she’d managed to fall asleep on the hard bunk, and she was far from happy about her rest being interrupted. "Who’s there?"

"Who else?" The horned silhouette standing above her was unmistakable, and she sighed. It was his fifth visit, and each one had been worse than the last. The gloating, the evil laughter, the threats, the sneering face—if it could be called a face—all these things were seriously grating on her nerves. She wanted to be free. She _needed_ to be free—there was no telling what kind of shenanigans were going on in her absence—and instead she was forced to sit in a cramped cell and listen to this disgusting creature gloat about his superiority over her and how he was going to destroy everything she loved. She’d heard the same speech often enough now that she probably knew it better than he did. It was getting old.

"What do you want? Do you know what time it is?" She folded her arms, glaring back at him. "Go on! Get out of here!"

A cold, metal hand suddenly clenched her throat and jerked her to her feet. "We have unfinished business."

She tried to pull away. "Let go of me!"

The talons tightened their grip. "Come."  

His voice sounded different—much harder. Something told her it would be a bad idea to resist, so she allowed herself to be led out the cell, accompanied by three Hornets. _At least I’m getting a change of scenery_ , she thought grimly, following her captor down a gloomy hall. She hated the sight of her tiny cell more with each moment she spent in it.

They reached a wide, empty room, completely devoid of furnishings of any kind. All that could be seen were two pairs of manacles on the wall, one pair above the other. The Hornets brought her to these, and she realised they were meant for her. Presumably this room was dedicated to torturing unfortunate prisoners like herself.

"Uh-uh," she shook her head. "You’re not putting me in those."

"Come, come, be a good prisoner and do as I ask... NOW!" His eyes blazed. "Patience is a virtue, and as you may have noticed, I am not a virtuous man. I keep to a strict schedule, and I have no time for your disobedience!"

She would have protested further, but the Hornets shoved her against the wall, locking her feet into the lower manacles and her arms into the pair above. Then they left the room. The wall was cold and clammy against her neck, and she shuddered involuntarily. Her wrists chafed against the metal bonds, which were clearly intended for taller prisoners than her. Her arms had to be stretched high to reach them, sending a dull ache creeping through her joints. It was a very uncomfortable position that she had ended up in, and she seethed as she watched her captor circle her with pleasure.

"Yes, yes, very nice," he observed, more to himself than her. "Not a perfect fit, but it’ll certainly do."

She glared at him. "Okay, I’ve done what you asked. Now what?"

"Now..." A low, almost forced chuckle filled her ears as he came closer. "Now you will tell me what I want to know."

"We’ve already been through this. You’ll never get anything out of me." If she could have, she would’ve folded her arms defiantly. "You already tried making me talk yesterday. Remember the electricity chamber? It didn’t work."

"Oh, that?" He laughed and waved it off. "That was child’s play. Just a little something to prepare you for what is yet to come."

Gritting her teeth, she looked him straight in the eye. "I’m not afraid of you."

"Not yet."

Something was wrong. He was different tonight. The comical, over-the-top, predictable emperor was gone. A change had come over him, and not for the better. For all that he tried to sound as smooth and unruffled as ever, there was a sharpness to his voice, and he seemed almost shaky. It was as if he was only just restraining some feral side, and that side was slowly breaking through.

He traced a claw down her forehead. "Let’s start with the Alliance defense codes. I know my manners, so I’ll ask nicely. May I _please_ have them?"

"Why don’t you jump through a wormhole?" She spat on him.

Pain suddenly coursed through her face, and she struggled against the manacles. Her head stung, and she realised he’d hit her. Not hard enough to break the skin, but hard enough that she was sure she’d have a nasty bruise in the morning. "I’ll ask again," he said. "Give me the defense codes!"

"No!" Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke, but her resolve didn’t waver. "I don’t care what you do to me. I will not sell out the Alliance!"

"Oh, really?" This time he slashed his claws across her bare arm, drawing blood which ran down in little crimson rivulets and dripped onto the floor. Her head was still throbbing and now her arm burned with pain, but she merely clenched her fists and scowled at him.

"That the worst you can do?"

His eyes glimmered brightly. "Not at all. I’m being lenient, perhaps _too_ lenient. I had hoped we could get through this as... agreeably... as possible, but I see that’s not going to be the case." His hand flashed briefly in the light as it swept in front of her, smacking sharply against her face. "If you want my worst, I can give it to you."

Writhing against her shackles, she shivered as she heard the growl that entered his voice when he spoke. She knew he was cruel, but she’d always viewed him as a rather pathetic figure, never someone worthy of her fear. A threat certainly, but one she believed would be dealt with eventually. She’d never seen him like this before. The feral side seemed to be winning out. "Let me go!" she cried, rattling the manacles. "You have no right to hold me!"

"I don’t _need_ a right!" He slapped her and seemed to enjoy the action, repeating it again and again, each time with more force. "I do whatever I wish! I’m an evil emperor!" Suddenly, he grabbed her by the throat. "Now give me the codes!"

"No!" she choked. Breathing became difficult as his grip tightened, and she shook against the restraints, trying to break away from him.

"I could kill you right now, with a flick of my wrist," he snarled. "Do you realise that?"

"Then do it, you coward!" she goaded, doubting he really had it in him.

He seemed to consider her suggestion, but the temptation passed. "I need you alive. For now." He yanked her head forward, then slammed it against the wall with such ferocity she feared her skull would crack. "The codes. I won’t kill you if you give me the codes."

Her mind was in a whirl from the blow and her throat hurt too much to answer, so she turned her head away, preferring not to look at his ugly face. This seemed to enrage him, and he pulled her around to face him, his claws digging into the soft flesh of her neck.

"Answer me!" A sudden blow to her stomach knocked all her breath away. "Tell me what I need to know!" Another and another. " _Tell me!_ " He was practically shrieking now, like a little child who had been refused some toy he wanted and was throwing a tantrum.

"N-no," she managed to cough out, the taste of blood in her throat. "Y-y-you’ll have to do b-better than that."

"I can." His talons slashed across her stomach, ripping through clothing and piercing her skin. They gouged lightly through the flesh, and she would have doubled over in pain if she hadn’t been bound to the wall. He yanked his claws away and they gleamed red in the light, little droplets sliding off them as he moved. Blood soaked through her clothes where his nails had been and she felt sticky all over, though she wasn’t sure if it was from blood or sweat. Her body went numb against the pain, shutting down to protect itself, and the smell of copper hung in the air. Silence filled the room.

Lifting her head with effort, she stared straight into his eyes. They glistened, the yellow centres narrowed and levelled at her. The sneer was gone, replaced with something... but she wasn’t sure what. His mouth was twisted down, pulled into what she could only guess was a look of disgust. Everything about him seemed tensed, shaky. The cracks in the carefully constructed mask were showing. If she had been someone weaker, she would have been truly terrified by then or perhaps passed out from the pain, but she took a gulp of air, ignoring the blood on her tongue, and stiffened herself. She was a bloody mess, but she was still the stronger person in the room. And she was unafraid. He could do no more than kill her.

He seemed to be studying her, his eyes shifting as they swept over the wet, torn fabric surrounding the gashes in her stomach, then moving up to her bloodied arm and her bruised face. Her lips were split and bleeding, a thin red trail snaking down from them, and her face had started to swell up, but she had lost none of her determination. She met his gaze, refusing to flinch, and for a moment their eyes were locked in test of wills. She could see herself reflected in the red pools that stared back at her. He broke off first, looking away and sweeping around her, his eyes now focused on the floor. A whisper of fabric echoed through the room as the hem of his skirt brushed over the ground, masking the sound of his footsteps. His cape trailed behind him, the smooth satin glinting brightly. As he passed under the single overhead light, she could see moist red patches staining his clothes, and little scarlet splatters across his silver breastplate.

He stopped. "You’re an idiot," he said slowly. "What do you hope to accomplish by this stubbornness?"

"I won’t have given in to you. That’s enough for me." She thought he was going to hit her again, but he didn’t.

"So you’ll die just to preserve the secrets of your precious Galactic Alliance?" The sneer was back now.

"Yes, if need be." A numbing ache had crept into her brain, and all she wanted was to drop back onto her hard bunk and sleep away the pain, but she remained steadfast. "It’s called integrity, something you know nothing about!"

This time he did hit her, making her cough up more blood. "And look where your integrity has gotten you! I’m not the one in chains."

"I’m still freer than you’ll ever be!"

He sounded scornful as he spoke. "Oh really? And what is that trite comeback supposed to mean?"

"I don’t have innocent blood on my hands! I’m not a... a twisted evil _thing_ like you!"

Perhaps it was just the lighting, but his eyes seemed to smolder with a sudden heat. "Do you really think anyone is truly innocent? Oh, everyone _pretends_ to be, perhaps some even convince themselves of it, but I’ve seen the truth." He turned his back on her. "At least I’m honest about what I am."

"How long do I have to listen to this?" She shook against her restraints. "If you’re going to kill me, go on then! I’m prepared to die for my people, if that’s what it comes to!"

"Your people." The speed with which he whipped back to face her was startling. "Yes," he mused, "you represent— No, you _are_ the Galactic Alliance. And you will fall."

"You’ve done your worst. I’m still standing."

"Not for long." Advancing closer, his eyes shone menacingly in the dark. "Do you want to know what it’s like to suffer? To _really_ suffer? I can show you!" Red light spilled onto her from his eyes and she felt her skin growing hot under his glare. "You’re a fool! You could have just done as you were told, but no. You thought you knew better. Now I get to watch you writhe in agony, and in the end you _will_ give me the codes!"

Every inch of bare skin on her body erupted in sudden pain and she cried out, hardly able to comprehend what was happening. It felt as if she were in the middle of a raging fire—the only thing missing was the crackle of flames. She rubbed her wrists raw as she pulled against her shackles, but they held fast. She couldn’t escape the searing heat. The room was filled with blinding red light and she had to shut her eyes to shield them from the inferno. She wanted to beg for mercy, to plead with him to stop, but she couldn’t will herself to talk. All she could do was push into the wall, bracing herself against the pain.

"I can stop this. _You_ can stop this! All you have to do to free yourself is surrender. Just give me the codes!" His voice lowered. "I didn’t want to go this far. You left me no choice." Was he really trying to put the blame on her? "You don’t have to continue. You can save yourself. Don’t let stubbornness— Don’t let _integrity_ be your undoing!"

Her mouth burned when she opened it. "No." It took much of her strength to say even that one word.

"What has the Alliance ever done for you? What do you owe them? Nothing! So why do you continue? Why do you resist? You could end all this now—all the pain, all the suffering! Fighting won’t help you! Make the smart choice! JUST SURRENDER!"

The heat suddenly abated, and a welcome coolness settled over her. Burns all over her arms and face were crying out in agony, but finally there was some small respite from the pain. She slumped against the wall, worn out and no longer able to feel relief or even fear. All her mind could process was the absence of the scorching fire.

"I need those codes," she heard him say softly. "If you give them to me now, I will leave you. My medics will treat your injuries, and you will be well looked after. If you don’t give them to me, I will have to do worse than I have done already."

"W-worse?" she rasped through cracked lips. "What m-more could you p-possibly do?"

"Let’s not find out, shall we?" He leaned closer, his face inches away from her own. "The codes?"

"I-I can’t..." To her disgust, she found herself almost _wanting_ to give in. It would be so easy. "I w-won’t... betray the... A-Alliance..."

"The Alliance..." His face twisted into a horrible scowl. "Is that all you care about? Do you think it’s so great and noble that it’s worth dying for? So be it. I will do whatever it takes. And I _will_ win." A hardness came over his features, all the mixed emotion that had been there before now gone.

She took a deep breath, every movement an exercise in agony. Shutting her eyes, she braced herself for whatever was to come.

"Bring in the prisoners!"

_Huh?_ Her blistered eyelids flickered open. The rhythmic thud of footsteps heralded the arrival of Hornets, and a moment later the doors parted. Two of the yellow robots marched in, their arms gripping the shoulders of a man and a woman. The man was some kind of avian, his hooked beak pulled into a scowl. Shaking like a leaf, the young woman beside him was a Rhizomian. They were brought to the centre of the room, the Hornets still holding them fast.

"Who are th-these people?" she rasped.

"This is a smuggler who tried to cheat me on a weapons deal." He gestured to the man, who bared the serrated edge of his beak at him. "My staff have been putting him to work in the factories. This," he brushed a speck of dust off the shivering girl’s shoulder, "is a traveller we ran into on a recent scouting mission. She simply wanted directions to Capital Planet. Ordinarily, I would have been glad to oblige, but unfortunately for her I couldn’t have any witnesses, so I had to bring her back with me. A simple case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"You just l-let them go now, you hear?" Looking into the girl’s wide, desperate eyes, she forgot her pain and didn’t let the dryness of her throat stop her from speaking her mind. "I don’t know w-what you want with them, b-but you let them go!"

He shrugged, shaking his head back and forth. "Oh, nothing would please me more, but that’s simply not possible... unless you give me the codes."

So that was his game. It wouldn’t work. "No."

"A pity." His fingers trailed down the smuggler’s neck, depressing the soft feathers around his throat. The man tried to pull away, hissing at his touch, but the Hornets tightened their grip. "Are you sure about that?"

"N-nothing you do could ever m-make me sell out the Alliance."

He smiled. "Of course. What are a few lives when the safety of your precious Alliance is at stake?" And then his hands twisted, the tips of his gauntlets digging through the smuggler’s skin as he grasped the man’s throat.

"Augh!" Coughing and hissing, the avian kicked at him, his hands tightening around the metal arms holding him in place. The feathers on his neck reddened. There was a sudden snap, like the sickening crunch of an animal chewing its prey, and the man went limp, his head twisted at a horrible angle. A trickle of blood escaped his beak.

She stared. "You... you—!"

"What’s the matter?" He turned to face her. "Can’t you handle the price of your integrity? He was just a smuggler. If he were killed in a shootout with your Rangers, you wouldn’t even bat an eyelid."

"That’s different!"

"Is it? Are you really going to claim you _good guys_ never kill without reason?" He leaned closer. "I happen to know that’s not true." Gliding across to the Rhizomian, he raised a claw to her throat. "I could kill her with a single slash. Are you willing to let that happen?"

"Let her go!"

"If you don’t give me the codes, her blood will be on your hands. _Innocent_ blood. Isn’t that what you were making such a fuss about earlier?"

"LET HER GO!" Her wrists were sticky and raw as they strained against the bonds. "She’s done nothing wrong! She’s not a threat to you!"

"This isn’t about her." The claw was poised above the soft skin of the her throat, inching closer as he spoke. Quivering, the girl was no longer able to hold herself together and crumpled, sobbing against the Hornet. "One last time. Will you give me the codes?"

She opened her mouth to answer and closed it again. Could she look that girl in the eye and condemn her to death? When it had been her own life on the line, everything had seemed so clear and simple, but now... Did she have the right to sacrifice someone else for her own ideals?

"The Alliance isn’t worth her life! Besides," his voice took on a honeyed tone, "what would the harm be in giving me the codes? Your Alliance is strong—even if I knew the defense secrets, your people could still resist me. All the codes allow me to do is pass through your security nets undetected. That probably wouldn’t help me at all, but it would help _you_ immeasurably if you gave them to me. We could end all this right here. A few words from you, and I let the girl go and your pain will be over."

It... it made sense... Surely giving him the codes wouldn’t make any difference? Star Command could defend the Galactic Alliance, codes or no codes. And she could save the girl’s life... what was so wrong with that?

No, she couldn’t! She couldn’t betray the Alliance! Least of all to their arch enemy! What was she thinking?

But who would blame her if she did? She’d held out as long as she could, all for a few worthless codes, and now she had a chance to save herself and a fellow prisoner. Why not take it?

His eyes were glaring down at her, urging her to answer. To her surprise, when she gazed into them she saw something hidden behind the smoldering wall of anger and malevolence, something that looked almost like sorrow. Not for the girl—she knew he would easily kill her without a moment’s remorse. It seemed to be an old pain, distant and removed from what was happening now. She didn’t know what to make of it.

"Well?" He was growing impatient, his finger hovering closer to the Rhizomian’s neck.

_I can’t, I can’t!_ But even as she thought this, her heart betrayed her and she found herself nodding wearily.

"Outstanding!" He rubbed his blood-stained hands together in glee, and she dropped her head shamefully against her chest, unable to believe what she’d just done. She was selling out her own people. Selling out the entire Galactic Alliance!

But when she saw the look of relief on the girl’s face, she didn’t have the will to take back her answer. Part of her was even glad she’d done it. Perhaps now she’d get some respite from the torment. Maybe it had been worth it.

He snapped his fingers, and the Hornets began dragging the two prisoners away. His feet tapped lightly on the metal floor as he crossed over to her. The smell of blood was stronger than ever as he neared, and she could see it glistening all over his gauntlets. She shuddered at his approach. She realised she was afraid of him.

Lightly stroking his finger across her forehead, as if totally unaware of the way she recoiled, Zurg smiled. "You made the right choice, Madam President."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter—it's been a busy weekend. Rereading this now that I've gotten into Star Wars, I can't help thinking Zurg's been taking anger management tips from Kylo Ren. 
> 
> Was anyone surprised by the last line, or had you all figured it out by then?
> 
> Anyway, no Team Lightyear today, but we'll see more of them next chapter!


	8. Chapter 7

Mira looked up as Buzz entered the bridge. His boots clanked over the metal walkway as he reached his chair, lowering himself into it with a sigh.

"The authorities finished unloading the bodies," he announced. "Those who were citizens of Morph will remain here to be dealt with by their families, and the rest will be shipped back to their respective home planets. Most of the bodies have been positively identified through official records—so far all of them were personnel from the ships that went missing."

Casting her eyes to the ground, Mira gave a shrug. "Yeah, figures. I guess whoever’s behind this just needed the ships, and once they had them, the crews were... disposable." She met Buzz’s gaze. "How’s Treena?"

"She’s... doing about as well as can be expected." Buzz swivelled to face the control panel. "I talked with her awhile. It’s been quite a shock, but I think she’ll be okay in time. People usually are." He began punching in coordinates. "Prepare for launch, Mira. We’re heading home."

Mira hesitated. "Uh, a-actually, sir," she mumbled, "I was w-wondering if you and I could, y’know, talk about something first..."

"Sure. What’s on your mind?"

"Well, uh," she glanced over her shoulder at Booster and XR, "I was hoping we could talk in private."

"Ah, of course." Buzz nodded. "Booster, begin pre-flight procedures. XR, take that damaged autopilot down to engineering and see what you can do for it." His seat creaked as he rose. "Mira and I will be in the galley."

Following her captain, Mira chewed her lip, deep in thought as they left the bridge and entered the short corridor. The lights were dimmed to conserve power, but she couldn’t help noticing Buzz’s frown. As much as he tried to hide it, she knew the damage to his beloved cruiser was bothering him. In the wake of far greater tragedies, however, he’d chosen to drop the matter.

Light flooded the hall when the doors to the galley slid open. The two Rangers seated themselves at the table, staring at its surface awkwardly as they both waited for the other to speak. Mira traced her fingers on the smooth metal, following the outline of her blurry reflection.

"So, you wanted to talk to me?" Buzz broke the ice.

"Um, yeah." Unconsciously reaching for her hair and running her hand down its silky length, she took a deep breath. "It’s... it’s about what happened with those ships that attacked us."

"Now, Mira, there’s no need to fret. I don’t hold you responsible for that—you couldn’t have known they’d be there. The important thing is that you and Booster got outta there in one piece."

She shook her head. "No, no, it’s not that." Hunching her shoulders closer together, she leaned her elbows on the table. "It’s, well, back there... we destroyed at least two ships..."

"Yeah?"

Mira sighed. "There were people on those ships. We killed them. _I_ killed them—I gave the order."

Studying her for a long moment, Buzz reached out and gently brushed her shoulder. "They were people who murdered innocent civilians without a second thought. They let those crews suffocate to death."

"And then I murdered them in return."

"No, you defended yourself. They attacked _you_. If it hadn’t been for your quick thinking, you and Booster would both be dead right now."

He was right—Buzz was always right. But she couldn’t shake away the guilt. "That doesn’t make it any easier. I’ve n-never done that before, Buzz—I’ve never had to kill anyone." Her face dropped into her hands. "I dunno, I always kind of thought... that I wouldn’t, y’know, ever have to..." She looked up. "Pretty—pretty dumb, I guess?"

"No, Mira." Buzz shook his head, his hand sliding up her shoulder and moving back and forth in a gentle rhythm. It was reminded her of when her father used to hold her when she was a child. "That’s not dumb at all. Just because we’re law enforcement officers doesn’t mean our job is to violently gun down all the lawbreakers out there. Sometimes it’ll be necessary to use force against them, maybe even kill them, but that’s not why we’re here. You know the Ranger oath?"

"To protect and defend all sentient beings against injustice," she answered automatically.

"And that’s what you did out there. _That’s_ why we’re here." He smiled gently. "You can’t always do that without casualties, but thinking you can doesn’t make you dumb. It just means you’re in this job for the right reasons. To help people."

She allowed herself a small smile. "Yeah, I guess... Um, Buzz?" Her eyes flicked back to the tabletop. "Did you... did you ever have to, you know...?"

"No." He shrugged. "Came close a few times, and there were a few criminals who probably would’ve deserved it, but I’ve never killed anyone. And I’m still hoping I never have to."

She nodded. "I hope so too. Let’s go back to bridge." Standing up, she brushed away the hair that fell over her face. "I want to get out of this sector."

* * *

With his hands shoved in the pockets of his bathrobe, Warp stepped out his house and began to amble aimlessly across the courtyard. Carefully positioned spotlights illuminated the area, creating a circle of light around him as he walked, while dark shadows danced over the rest of the scenery. His bare feet tingled on the cold stones, and he drew the robe closer his body. It was almost midnight, but he still couldn’t get to sleep. The afternoon swim and massage should have worn him out and relaxed him, yet here he was, wide awake. He didn’t even feel tired. If anything, his perception was clearer than it normally was. He found himself noticing little cracks in the paving that had never caught his eye before, little flaws in the paradise he’d created on this barren moon. He felt curiously sober for someone who had downed five drinks as soon as he got back from that idiotic trip to Capital Planet.

He came to a stop beside the rippling pool that filled one corner of the courtyard, and stared down at his reflection. His eyebrows drew together in a frown as he noticed the lines running beneath his eyes and the handful of grey hairs peppering his glossy black hair. He saw himself in the mirror every day when he dressed and shaved, but it was as if he’d never realised until now how much his reflection had changed. The cocky young cadet who skipped classes, partied all night, and snuck glances over Buzz’s shoulder when they were writing important tests was still in there somewhere, but was overshadowed by someone else. Someone older, more cynical, more jaded.

Warp shrugged to himself. A lot had changed over the years. People came and went, allegiances changed, friendships had been broken, and maybe, just maybe, he’d grown up a little. He still enjoyed his job, he really did, but it wasn’t fun and games anymore. More and more he tried to get out of work and hide out on his moon. He’d always been a shirker, sure, but in the past he loved being sent out on dangerous missions, either by Star Command or by Zurg. There was nothing like living on the edge to make you feel alive. Now the only edge he wanted to live on was the one bordering his pool while he lazed in a deckchair, trying to forget the universe around him. The prospect of adventure simply didn’t thrill him like it once did—it just meant more work and more risk. All for a few lousy uni-bucks from Zurg. Warp sighed.

Bending over, his back making unpleasant cracking noises as he did so, he took a pebble from the ground. Rubbing the smooth, cold stone between his fingers, he tossed it into the pool and watched rings of water spread out from the splash. _What am I doing?_ he chuckled mirthlessly to himself. _When did I become so philosophical? I’m living the life I always wanted—no rules to follow, all the money I could ever want, and I don’t have to listen to any of Lightyear’s self-righteous lectures anymore. What’s not to love?_

He found himself frowning at the thought of his former partner. Buzz—he couldn’t stand the guy. They couldn’t be more different in personality, and they’d been forced to work together for nearly twenty years. Buzz was a by-the-book, justice-obsessed, never-had-an-overdue-library-book-in-his-life kind of guy, while Warp was a bend-the-rules, do-whatever-you-want-if-you-can-get-away-with-it, roast-marshmallows-over-library-books kind of guy. How he had ever stomached twenty years with Lightyear, he couldn’t figure out. Yet... somehow it had worked. He couldn’t honestly say those had been bad years. A strange bond had formed between himself and Buzz, and they’d learned to understand each other. Their other friends, Ty Parsec and Rocket Crockett, had drifted away over time, but he and Buzz remained buddies through all the long years, accepting the good and the bad in each other the way best friends always do. There were disagreements, sure, even fights. But neither doubted for a moment that they could count on the other when it mattered. Sometimes Warp would crash at Buzz’s house after a long night of partying, and while lecturing him disapprovingly, Buzz would give him something for his hangover and make up some cover story for Commander Nebula to explain why he wouldn’t be coming in to work that day. Sometimes Buzz’s overzealousness for the job would get him into trouble, and Warp would have to risk his neck to bail him out, and the two would laugh about it later at Cosmo’s.

_Yeah._ Warp sighed again. _Those were good years. But hey, they couldn’t last forever, and I knew that from day one._ He’d been on Zurg’s payroll before he even met Buzz. There was no hope of their friendship ever having a happy ending. But sometimes... during those years... he’d forget about the secret side of his life, and he and Buzz would just be two friends hanging out together. Sometimes he’d remember, and he’d almost want to confess to Buzz and try to get his friend to help him out of the situation he’d gotten himself into.

Warp shook away the memories, ashamed of those moments of weakness. _What an idiot I was. Like giving up the lucrative gig I have with Zurg and trusting in the mercy of Star Command would have been a good idea. I’d have just ended up in prison. Look where I am now instead—on a moon of my own with money and girls and everything else a guy could want._

Now he and Buzz were mortal enemies, and those days of fighting side by side were long behind them. Oh, sure, they’d relived them once or twice when they had to work together for a common goal, but that was it. He could never go back.

Glancing at his watch, he saw it was past midnight. "I should get back inside and try to sleep," he mumbled out loud, rubbing his head. What had prompted this late-night philosophising session anyway? He was content with his lot in life, wasn’t he?

He shrugged, the answer coming to him. Zurg. The purple overlord had been acting so weird lately, and it was creeping him out. First there was the "delivery" he’d picked up for him, aka a certain galactic president, and then the visit to Capital Planet. And he just _knew_ Zurg had more planned, but the emperor was keeping his lips—if he even had any—zipped tighter than an airlock. _I guess all this weirdness has me on edge,_ he thought, _and now that I’m home I have too much time to think about this stuff._ He needed to do something to take his mind off it, since sleep still looked like an impossibility. Strolling back inside, he decided to pour himself another drink.

* * *

He was a simple man, really. Everyone thought a living legend had to be otherworldly or some nonsense like that, but he said humbug to that idea. Just because he was Santa Claus didn’t mean he was going to spend all glorious summer stuck inside that icy dome he called home, no sir! He had as much right to relax on Mahambas VI and get a tan as everyone else did. The ElfGMs were perfectly capable of running the toy factories themselves, especially with the Holiday so far away. He’d been thoroughly looking forward to a nice long vacation on the resort planet to sooth away all the seasonal stress. Mornings at the beach, afternoons checking out the local colour and buying souvenirs for all his helpers, and evenings watching the sun go down. What more could one ask for?

So it was perfectly understandable that he’d be just a _little_ annoyed when the head ElfGM called him right as he was putting on his sunscreen and getting ready for a fun-filled day by the shore. He’d even blown up his beach ball and donned a striking red shirt with cheery little flowers all over it! The shirt was a bit garish perhaps, but it was jolly like him. Everything was set for his "holiday from the Holiday" as he liked to call it, and interruptions were likely to get you moved straight to the Naughty List.

But the ElfGM just had to say one name and he was rushing back to North Polaris.

It wasn’t as if he knew her personally; over the years the number of people he knew personally had dwindled down to zero (ElfGMs not included), only going up when he’d had to call Buzz Lightyear in for that incident with the stolen chronal disruptor awhile back. But he knew _of_ her all the same. He liked to keep a close eye on history, even if the only part he ever played now was that of a legend.

Hastily throwing the festive shirt aside and changing into a casual sweater, he stood in his workshop, the clatter of busy machinery all around him as he waited for the ElfGMs to show her in. The workshop was always a hub of activity, even at that time of year, with Elves scurrying about the place and a whirl of colours greeting the eye as toys of all shapes and sizes moved across the conveyors. With billions of children all over the galaxy to provide goodies for, they couldn’t afford to be slack, even in summer (not that seasons had any meaning space, and of course half of every planet celebrated the Holiday in summer anyway, but still—tradition).

The padding of heavy feet across the blue floor alerted him to her arrival, quite distinct from the pitterpatter the ElfGMs made when they moved. Shifting his gaze to follow the sound of her steps, his eyes fell on her as she walked in. Her robes were regal and dignified, befitting a woman of her status. She carried herself like queen, every step an exercise in elegance and grace, though with slightly more humility than he associated with royalty. But her eyes... the fire he knew must have once burned in them had all but gone out, replaced by a milky film and a hundred tiny creases at their edges.

She’d gotten old.

Of course she had—a few centuries of living was liable to do that to you. But he hadn’t thought about it until he was staring right at her. This shrunken, withered creature wasn’t the fierce warrior who had slain hundreds in the last great battle of her civil war. She was just an old woman. But who was he to talk? He himself hardly lived up to his great reputation from days of old.

Her robes dragging across the floor, she approached him with slow, steady steps. At last they stood face to face, and eyed each other for a long moment. He wondered how he looked to her—everyone saw something different when they met him. They saw what they expected to see. Usually figures from their mythology, like a jolly old man in a red suit who went down chimneys, or a regally-adorned noble who ghosted through homes leaving gifts. There thousands of worlds out there, and each had their own version of him. But he suspected she knew better than that—she knew who he really was.

"It’s an honour to meet you, my lady," he bowed, clasping her gnarled hand and feeling its chipped, brittle claws and the dry skin that was wrapped around the bones as if all the flesh had been sucked out. "Welcome to North Polaris."

"It took me many days to find this place." She motioned for him to stand up. "It is I who should be bowing to you, Pr—"

"Don’t say it," he cut her off, sharper than he intended. "The day someone kneels to me is the day I leave. I fought too hard to let that happen."

Nodding, she let her arms fall loosely against her sides. "Forgive me. It’s just... I had begun to wonder if you even existed, and now to stand before you..."

"I get that a lot," he chuckled. "Half the galaxy doesn’t think I exist, and the half that does is under ten. Most of them are still sucking their thumbs!"

She swivelled her head and surveyed the bustling workshop, as if taking it in for the first time. "You do so much, for the children of people you don’t even know..."

"Well, you know," shrugged Nick. "Someone needs to inspire hope in the next generation."

Nodding, she bowed her head, her eyes closed. "We both have great debts to pay off."

He said nothing. An ElfGM passed by on a miniature forklift, carting another load of presents to be stowed in the storerooms until the Holiday. The hum of the forklift and the clicketyclack of the machinery filled the room, seeming to rise in volume as the conversation dropped off. The image of blood-streaked faces lying in the dust swirled before Nick’s eyes for a moment, then vanished just as suddenly as it appeared. He sighed.

"You’ve done better than I." She laced her hands, her clothes rustling as she turned her back on him. Stooped, a thin reed of a woman, she teetered like the slightest breeze would knock her down. He almost wondered if the stiff robes were all that kept her upright.

"I don’t know about that." Nick brushed a hand through his silver hair, smoothing it back. "You stuck around to rebuild after it was over." He sighed again, the weight of so many years and so many failures coming down on him like a crashing starship. "That’s more than I ever did."

She shrugged. "Someone had to. And I promised..."

"I promised things too." A little girl stared up at him with big brown eyes, begging him to come home for the Holiday. A desolated town haunted him, blackened and ruined, buildings collapsed in the streets and a few flimsy huts erected by the survivors, who shivered inside as harsh winter winds swept through. "You kept your promises."

"No." Her bones creaking, she shifted around to face him, the milky eyes somehow stabbing at his heart from where they stood in their sunken sockets. "That’s why I am here." Her voice cracked. "I failed."

He only needed one guess. "Zurg?"

Muttering something that sounded like a invocation to someone long gone, she nodded, her eyes beginning to shimmer with moisture. "I promised... as she lay dying in my arms, I promised... and then I let this happen."

It was so long since he’d been with someone who understood how he felt. Without thinking, he reached out and held her shoulder, the thick fabric of the robe rubbing roughly against his hand. "Something I realised long ago," he answered softly, "is that everyone is responsible for their own actions. No one ends up on the Naughty List because of something someone else did, you know. We can’t control what other people do—only what _we_ do."

"But we can still try to make it right?"

"Yes, we can." Pride, the arrogant pride of a man swept up in his own greatness, lusting for glory at the expense of caution... it all came back to him. A brilliant fireball flaring against the night, snuffing out a thousand lives and giving way to ashes. "That’s all we can do, really."

Her stiff posture collapsed. "I am afraid," she croaked. "I do not know what will happen. I fear people will die because of my mistake... What if _he_ dies?"

"I wish I could give you answers." He’d been granted many powers, but foreknowledge wasn’t one of them. He could feel a sea of thoughts and feelings swirling around him from every living being in the galaxy, dance across alien vistas in his mind, know when someone had been naughty or nice, but the future was just as mysterious to him as it was to anyone else.

"The only answer I came here for was a yes or no," she said. "Will you help me?"

"What do you need?"

Stretching out her gaunt arms, she gestured to all that was around them. "I need your support. I need your resources. I need _you_. You are the only one who can rival him for power!"

He froze. "You’d have me throw myself into the ring?" She nodded. "I won’t do it. There’s a fight coming, I know that much, and it’ll be a bad one. But I won’t do it. Not again!"

"But you must," she insisted. "You did before..."

"And I swore I’d never pick up a weapon again. I swore an oath that no matter what happened, I would not involve myself in galactic politics!" He crossed his arms. "I’ve broken so many promises, but by the stars, I will keep this one!"

She hissed. "So you would rather stay here and make dolls while the galaxy burns around you? Perhaps I was wrong about you. You are nothing but a coward."

"A coward? Is that what you think I am?" Drawing himself up, he towered over the wizened woman. "Young lady, centuries before you were even born, I was fighting against my own comrades to save an innocent people my squadron had been ordered to slaughter! I was starting rebellions long before your people ever uttered the name of the Black Destroyer! I watched planets burn—I watched my own daughter _die_ because I’d been so puffed up by my own glory and the thrill of the fight that I never gave a thought to getting her to safety—and still I kept going!" He brought himself down to eye level. "I tortured a general until he told me where the enemy was hiding. I killed people. I would have slain my great nemesis too, in cold blood, if I hadn’t finally realised that the path I was on would only lead to my own destruction. So don’t think," his voice dropped to a whisper, "for even one _second_ that I am a coward. I wish to the old gods I was, perhaps my hands wouldn’t be as red!"

She stepped back. "Then why don’t you help me?"

"Didn’t you hear a word I just said?" Throwing up his hands, Nick stalked around the room in a circle. "Why do you think I swore not to get involved? There’s no telling what I might do if I did..." Exhaling deeply, he stopped by one of the conveyors and lifted a stuffed bear. The soft fur compressed under his grip as he held it up. Its face was sewn into a friendly smile, and the eyes glinted in the light with an almost lifelike gleam. "It took me a long time to find hope again after the war. I’d forgotten what real life really was after so many years of fighting." He stroked the plush animal. "And then I realised that life isn’t about battles or wars or victories, it’s about bringing people together. So that’s what I do." Gently setting the bear back down, he continued pacing. "I can’t change the universe, but I can I bring hope to little children—I can try to make them believe in something greater than themselves. I can make them better than I was."

"But you did get involved a second time," she insisted. "When I was trying to find you, I heard you fought Zurg once. You became part of history again."

He shook his head. "I was just getting something back that belonged to me, and stopping Zurg from doing any damage with it. Buzz Lightyear did all the work anyhow. Nice young man, that Lightyear. Maybe you should get him to help you."

"Pah, he is not suitable," she scoffed. "I need you. You can’t turn your back on your own identity! You are the Pr—"

He held up a hand. "That’s just a name other people called me. I have a lot, you know. Some people call me Santa Claus. Some people call me the Giver. You should hear what the Raenoks call me," he laughed. "My real name is Nick. Doesn’t really make much difference, does it?"

"But you squander all your potential in this role you have chosen! You could make so many things right if you only stretched out your hand!" she protested. "You are the Protector!"

It was a long time since he’d felt anger towards anyone besides himself. He wasn’t sure he liked it. "Curse you, I told you not to call me that!" Slamming his hand down on the conveyor, he heard a gasp as all the ElfGMs looked up, startled by this uncharacteristic display. He sighed. "Do you know why I was given my powers? It wasn’t so I could play god—I’d done enough of that already." His gaze came to rest on his workers and the corners of his mouth curled up in a faint smile. "I was moping on their homeworld after the war. It was this little band of independent thinkers here that gave me the kick in the keister I needed." With a deep breath he let his eyes slide shut, losing himself in the memory. The LGMs had taken him to their Uni-mind, perhaps the most beautiful wonder he would ever behold, and told him to press his hands against it. Tentatively he did so, feeling a sudden rush of energy flooding through his body, ribbons of electricity swirling up his arms. And then he could feel it— _everything._ Every mind on the planet, every feeling. He pushed deeper, letting the orb’s power pour into him. He could feel it infusing itself into his cells, the amber light dancing over his skin.

"They gave me the power to see the universe so I’d realise what a selfish fool I was being. There I was, sitting in a corner feeling sorry for myself, while a broken galaxy was desperately trying to put itself back together." Folding his arms over his broad middle, he faced her. "So I did what I could to make things right, and I’ll keep on doing that as long as I have breath. But I won’t do it by force! I’m done fighting!"

Her body shook as she expelled a long-withheld sigh. "Then I am doomed to failure."

"No," he touched her gently, "no. Hope is all we have, so keep it alive. If the storm I sense really is coming, then the universe needs you. Maybe you can still keep your promise."

"How? I am alone in this galaxy, and now without an ally."

He smiled. "You can stay here—as long as you like. It’s a little chilly, but we make the best hot cocoa this side of the quadrant! And somewhere out there you’ll find someone who can help you."

"So I just have to ‘believe?’ Is that what you are saying?" she scoffed.

The sound of a deep, hearty belly laugh rang through the workshop, drowning the clacking of the machinery. "Now you’re catching on!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Santa Claus as the Protector is an idea that came to me once and somehow made a whole lot of sense (more sense than some being from recent Earth mythology just... casually existing in the BLoSC universe for no reason whatsoever), and the whole "everyone sees him differently" part was something Steel once suggested which I thought was brilliant.
> 
> So who is this mysterious lady? You'll have to wait and see...


	9. Chapter 8

Pain.

That was all he felt at first. Slowly, his mind began to process other sensations, and he realised he was lying on a hard surface. That alone was unusual, because he was supposed to be bolted upright.

Then hearing returned, and a robotic, strangely familiar voice was mumbling something somewhere near him.

"Come on, you stupid piece of cheap terrillium! Don’t you give me that error! I already connected the processing unit!"

He wanted to say something, to ask where he was and what had happened, but his mouth wouldn’t move. It scraped stiffly when he tried to open it, metal screeching against metal, as if it hadn’t been oiled in awhile, and his vocal processor was taking its sweet time in coming online.

Dim images began to feed through his optical sensors, hazy lights and colours. A blurry shape was moving in front of him. It looked as if he was on a table of some kind, but how did he get there? His short-term memory circuits weren’t fully operational yet, and only brief flashes of the past came to him when he tried to recall what had happened. Ships... attacking... lots of them... he was surrounded... so many ships, and no one around to help... he was panicking... a flash of light... and then nothing.

"Hey? Hey pal, are you awake?" That voice... that figure leaning over him... he had a feeling he knew this person. He recognised the blue emblem on the chest plate.

"S-Space Ra-zzz-ger?" His vocal processor was getting better, but wasn’t quite fully online yet.

The figure’s outline was starting to sharpen, revealing a pair of yellow eyes gazing down at him. "I did it! You’re okay!"

Okay? _Okay?_ He wished it wasn’t such an effort to speak, because there were quite a few things he’d like to say in response to the Ranger’s glib assessment of his condition. "W-where...?"

"You’re on 42."

He tried to sit up, but his motors seemed to be jammed, because he could feel nothing beyond his neck. "What h-happ-zzz-ed?"

"We checked your black box—you were ambushed and attacked by a bunch of ships out on the frontier," answered the other robot. "They blew the bridge sky-high and you along with it."

"Ships..." He remembered it all clearly now. "They came out of nowhere. Attacked... I—" His eyes drifted down, noticing the reflection on the polished tabletop. If his vocal processor had been at full capacity, he would have screamed. "My body! What happened to my body?!"

The robot Ranger threw his arms across his chest in a huff. "Well, _excuse_ me, pal, but that explosion did quite a number on you and I’ve been working my chassis off just to restore power to your vital systems! Half your circuits were fried and you kept shorting out when I tried to turn you on!"

"So you removed my head?!"

"It was the only way I could access your CPU and repair the damage! Do you have any idea how long it’s taken me to get you up and running?"

This was great, this was just great. He was nothing but a head on table. _And just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse._ A memory suddenly flashed through his mind. He recalled an exploding freighter, and a pair of purple hands roughly yanking him from his setting. That voice, that whiny voice! Oh, he knew this robot alright! "It’s you—the robot Ranger! The commander’s son!" He thought they’d shut that idiot down! Wasn’t that what the commander had wanted? Normally he would have been quick to protest against the prejudices of organics, but in this case he could understand the commander’s motives. This so-called "Ranger" was good for nothing but scrap—he’d barely gotten the two of them off the freighter before it went up!

"Yep, that’s me, XR. The robot who saved your life."

"Oh, joy." _I really need to find a better line of work._ The autopilot sighed. _Preferably one that won’t involve running into_ this _person again and again…_

* * *

When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was the absence of the familiar warm body resting against her. Pulling the suffocating covers off her face and untangling herself from the sheets, she rolled over, the bed creaking. Her hair hung down loosely in a messy blonde mop. She rubbed her eyes and sat up with a groan, cursing the time. No matter how many years she served in the Corps, she would never get used to the early rising.

The lights were still dimmed, but she caught the unmistakable aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchenette. _Sal,_ she thought with a smile. Blue light spilled from a screen in the corner, illuminating a figure seated behind a desk. Sal always was one to start work early.

Cringing at the cold floor when she dropped her feet over the bed, Turner padded softly across the room and wrapped her arms around the distracted man’s neck. "Hey," she whispered.

"Ah, someone’s finally awake." He grinned, kissing her bare arms where they crossed over his chest. "Coffee should be ready. Want me to whip up something to eat?"

"Nah." Turner kissed his cheek in return and ruffled his glossy, almost-black hair. "You keep working. I’ll have breakfast in the cafeteria."

Nodding, he went back to the reports he was filling out and she shrugged off her nightgown and grabbed a thermal suit from the closet. After pulling the stretchy green and purple garment on, she paused beside the counter to sip the coffee. Steam rose in thin wisps from the mug and she brought it hesitantly to her lips. The first sip was bliss, washing away the foul taste that always clung to her mouth in the morning, tingling her throat with its heat. It was extra sweet, just the way she liked it. Sal was a saint.

Standing at the counter with the mug warming her hands, she watched her fiancé as he hammered away at the keypad. He was always like a man on fire in the mornings, while she still felt like a reanimated corpse until at least noon. He was already in his uniform.

_Ranger Sal Estrella_ , she thought as she stared at him, _in charge of records and filing, backup to Captain Kayuga when he needs a man on weapons and navigation, and the love of my life._ He was a few years younger than her, which caused some gossip around the water cooler when they announced their relationship, but she didn’t care. Fraternisation between colleagues was usually frowned upon, but since they were on separate teams the commander let it slide, even allowing them to share quarters. She’d never been a romantic, in fact all her life she’d been too work-oriented to have time for much of a love life, but in Sal she knew she’d found the person she wanted to spend the rest of her days with.

Letting the mug sit on the counter to cool, she swung open the closet again and pulled a suit off the rack. The boost from the coffee had woken her up enough to get the awkward outfit on, and after straightening it she grabbed a brush from the dresser. "Lights." She blinked as the room suddenly went from grey to a blinding white. Standing before the mirror, she ran the brush through her hair and idly wondered what duties her team would have that day. After she was done, she twisted a hairband through and pulled her hair into a tight ponytail, then paused to admire the effect. From his corner, Sal gave her a thumbs-up, which she answered by blowing him a kiss.

Checking herself one last time, she decided she was presentable and finished her coffee, then hurried off to the cafeteria. She met Corporal Brooks along the way.

"Good morning, ma’am," he saluted, by-the-book as ever.

"Morning, Frank." She smiled. "Where’s the rest of the team?"

"Haven’t seen them yet—they’re probably already ahead of us. You know how Flarn is when it’s meatloaf day."

She laughed. "I’ll never understand that kid."

Sure enough, when they reached the cafeteria, Cadet Flarn and Tech Specialist Janet Cole were sitting at the usual table, Flarn shovelling meatloaf down his scaly throat. The red alien waved one of his four arms in greeting while Janet pulled out two extra chairs for them.

"Hey, guys." Turner plopped herself down after filling her tray with bacon and toast.

"Captain," nodded Janet with a smile.

Forks clanged and trays clinked together as the team settled themselves and began their meal. After crunching through the slightly-blackened toast, Turner wiped her lips with a napkin and addressed the team. "So, how’s everything today?"

Gulping down another bite of meatloaf, Flarn looked up. "Have you seen you seen the duty roster?" he grunted.

"We’re on Senate guard duty." Janet stabbed her scrambled eggs with unnecessary force. "Fraggin’ Senate guard duty! After that big incident at the funeral, the senators got their robes in a knot and want ‘round the clock security!"

There went what had promised to be a perfectly nice day. Turner sighed. "Great, we’re going to be glorified babysitters." Zurg was smart—he wouldn’t visit Capital Planet again. He knew Star Command would be waiting for him. Nothing would happen. It would just be one long day of patrolling the Plaza and listening to a bunch of whiny diplomats arguing, and it would end in stiff legs and sore ears. Maybe she could convince Sal to give her massage when she got back. "I suppose there’s no way we can trade this assignment off to some cadets? Isn’t Kayuga doing trainee missions at the moment?"

"Already looked into it," said Frank, shaking his head. He was always anticipating her questions like that—it was what made him such a perfect partner. "The Senate insisted on having a seasoned team to protect them. No wet-behind-the-ears trainees."

Janet’s round cheeks pulled down in a scowl. "What a load of Delterrian mungu. A trainee could handle this assignment in their sleep! Instead _we’re_ stuck with it! We deserve better. Even Flarn here has had a few years’ field experience—we shouldn’t be doing crud like this anymore! We should get the good stuff!"

"Ours is not to reason why," shrugged Turner. "Let’s change the subject. When’s the next flyball game? I forgot to check the newsletter."

"Tomorrow at nineteen-hundred hours—it’s us against Team Crockett," Frank informed her.

Flarn whimpered dramatically. "We’re going to lose."

"You got that right." Speak of the devil—Rocket Crockett strode in, his chest out proudly and his boots clanking heavily on the polished floor. "We’re so gonna kick your butts."

"Not a chance, mate." Janet rose to the challenge, easily a third shorter than the smirking Ranger but fully a match in spirit. She planted her hands on her hips. "I could beat the frag out of you with both hands tied behind my back!"

"Oh, trying a new strategy?" Rocket dodged an arm that tried to smack him. "I hope you won’t be too broken up about losing _again_. It’d make me feel guilty."

If she’d been as hot-tempered as Janet, Turner would’ve been tempted to take a swipe at the smug man herself. She watched her teammate nervously, but Janet was able to restrain the urge to pummel Rocket and instead spread her lips in false smile. "Funny, I thought your brother was the loser. Isn’t he on that team of screw-ups? And I’ve always suspected failure runs in the family..."

"Hey, you leave Sprocket out of this!" If there was one thing to be said for Rocket, he was very protective of his younger brother.

"Yeah," Turner agreed, "let’s play nice, kids. We’re all friends here, right?"

Janet wrinkled her nose. "That’s one opinion."

Always dependable, Frank broke in to cool the tension. "We’ve got guard duty at the Plaza today, Crockett. What’s on the agenda for you?"

"Ouch, guard duty," the other man sympathised. "Never fun, especially when politicians are involved. Rusty and I are on patrol. Lightyear," he said the name with a certain bitterness Turner had often observed, "wanted more security on the border between Gamma and Zeta, so after that funeral fiasco the Senate agreed to send a ship out."

"Sounds like you’re going to have about as much fun as we are," sighed Turner. "I guess with all the chaos lately, things are going to be tough for everyone."

"Not _everyone_." Flarn kept his voice low, his meaning obvious.

Janet glanced at Rocket, putting aside the argument from a moment before. "What time did the golden children get back last night?"

He rolled his eyes and snorted. "They’re not in yet. Apparently they decided to take a little side trip to the galactic rim."

"What?" Turner didn’t hide her surprise. "What could they possibly be doing out there?"

"I dunno," Rocket shrugged. "Something to do with missing ships. I didn’t catch it all. It was supposed to just be a short trip to Trade World to gather info for the assassination case."

"And they turned it into a fraggin’ joyride to the frontier?" Janet rang out in her shrill voice. "If one of us tried to pull something like that, the commander would have our arses for dogmeat the moment we got back!"

It was true. Nebula was a strict man who didn’t tolerate his Rangers running around willy-nilly without authorisation—unless those Rangers happened to belong to a certain team. If Turner had done the half the things Buzz had done, she would have faced a disciplinary hearing long ago. Instead, Lightyear got medals and commendations from the president. _But hey, who’s bitter?_ "I’m sure they must have a reason for being there," she tried to be fair. "Lightyear’s a lot of things, but he’s not an idiot. He knows how important the assassination case is."

"Does he?" said Flarn, anger making his voice more guttural than usual. "Maybe it’s all just one big adventure to him."

Janet nodded. "You know what he’s like. Probably thinks Zurg’s up to something out there. It’s always about Zurg, isn’t it? Must be nice to have an arch enemy, someone to feed your ego. The rest of us mere mortals just have to be content with ordinary thugs!"

"Hey, guys," Turner chided, "we’re not in it for the glory, got it? We’re here to make the galaxy a better place."

"Tell that to Lightyear."

Stacking the empty trays noisily, Frank leaned across the table. "Ranger Lightyear’s a good man. I know he gets on our nerves at times, but he’s put his own life on the line to save others more times than the rest of us put together. Without him, Zurg could have conquered the galaxy several times over. He’s earned his place at the top."

Frank was right. It was easy to feel jealous of Buzz’s accomplishments, but he really was amazingly good. Who could blame him if he’d developed a bit of an ego? Taking a deep breath, Turner let it go. One day her team would get the recognition they deserved too. "Okay, kiddos, let’s report to the launch bay. We’ve got a Senate to guard."

* * *

A spray of sparks showered in front of her goggles as she worked. If she never welded again, it would be too soon. Grub 127539—that was her official designation in the records, but her friends just called her Three-Nine—wiped her brow. A five minute break period had just been called, and she put down her tools. The conveyor belt stopped, allowing the harried workers a brief respite. Black and yellow pieces of metal were strewn over the belt, half-finished. The smell of smoke and sulphur infused the thick air, shoving its way roughly down throats and nostrils.

"Tough day, huh?" Three-Nine remarked, glancing left. "Five-Two?" Grub 127452 was one of her regular welding partners, always at her side and quick with a kind word when the hours grew long and the work didn’t end. But there was no one there. "Five-Two?"

Lowering her gaze, she saw the still form of a Grub sprawled out on the floor. "Five-Two!" She dropped to her companion’s side, cradling his head. It was cold, clammy. Five-Two’s antennae drooped uselessly and his eyes were shut tight. Three-Nine knew the signs well—she’d seen it often enough. Grubs were frequently worked to death in the Hornet factories, collapsing from exhaustion and breathing their last breaths on the hard floor.

The average lifespan of a worker was a year at most. Three-Nine was only four months old, but her friend had been much older—at least ten months, probably more. It was hardly surprising, really, that he’d finally met this fate, but that didn’t make it any easier.

"Break’s over!" one of the supervisors announced, pulling a lever. The conveyor belt began to move again. "You, back to work!"

Three-Nine felt a kick in her side, but she remained beside her fallen friend. "Five-Two’s dead," she whimpered.

The supervisor snapped its fingers, and a pair of clean-up Grubs came and yanked Five-Two’s body from her grasp, dragging it across the floor like an old sack. "A replacement will be sent shortly. Now get back to work!"

Rising reluctantly, Three-Nine picked up her tools again and wiped her eyes. It would do no good to cry. Her friend was gone, and if she didn’t want to be reported by the supervisors she would have to continue her job as though nothing had happened. Her eyes narrowed angrily and she watched the supervisor walk away, its head up high. They were equally despised and envied by all the worker Grubs.

If you were too good for the assembly line, but not good enough to join the science department, then you were assigned as a supervisor to watch over all the other workers and make sure they did their jobs right. Everyone wanted to be one, as it meant much less work (and the possibility of living at least two years), but few were ever chosen. Those who were often let it get to their heads and became arrogant and tyrannical, lording their power over the workers. They’d been even worse than usual lately, working everyone to the breaking point. The number of Hornets produced each day had almost doubled, but so had the number of Grubs dying on the job. Five-Two wasn’t the first friend Three-Nine had lost that week.

Why the evil emperor suddenly needed so many Hornets, Three-Nine didn’t know. It was a question she wouldn’t even bother pondering, for it simply didn’t matter. She was a lowly production line worker—she’d never even met the emperor. In this humble corner of the industrial city, you didn’t question your orders. Zurg was a figure that everyone talked about and feared, but no one ever thought to wonder why he did any of the things he did. Generations of Grubs had grown up under his rule—so many generations that they’d long ago forgotten how they ever came to work for him—and he was a distant, almost legendary force far removed from their daily lives. Sometimes Grubs from the palace were transferred to the factories, and they spoke of seeing the emperor in person, but that was as close to him as most workers ever got.

Even Brain Pods were rarely seen in the factories, though they occasionally dropped by to assess the Grubs’ work, pick out new supervisors, and see if there were any Grubs smart enough to be moved to the science department. Three-Nine had only seen a Brain Pod once in her life. They were generally disdainful of Grubs, though she’d heard some liked to take particularly gifted Grubs under their wings and mentor them.

Three-Nine didn’t expect she’d ever be chosen for this or even for a supervisor position. She was a very average Grub, who got her job done on time each day but never did anything exceptional. She preferred it that way—unlike the other Grubs, she had no wish to be anything more than a worker. It was all she’d ever known, and despite the hardships, she didn’t think she’d want to get used to any other kind of life. She wouldn’t say she was happy, but she was content. Perhaps some day she’d find a nice mate, raise a family, and live out each day as well as she could until she eventually met a similar fate to Five-Two. It was the best she could hope for.

"Attention, everyone!" The workers looked up. One of the supervisors was addressing them. "We’ve just gotten new orders from Evil Emperor Zurg. You’re not working hard enough—he wants you to double your output!"

Three-Nine gaped. They’d already doubled it—they couldn’t double it again! Half the workforce would be dead within the week if they did that! For the first time, she found herself asking a question. "Why?"

The supervisor scowled at her. "Your job is to work, that’s all. You have your orders."

Sighing, Three-Nine turned back to the belt and began welding Hornets together as fast as she could. Her arms soon started aching, but she ignored them. The supervisor was right—she’d been given an instruction, and it wasn’t her place to dispute it. Even if it killed her, she would try to carry out the new orders. It didn’t matter why Zurg needed so many Hornets. All that mattered was that they got the job done on time.

A new Grub took Five-Two’s place beside her and Three-Nine nodded in acknowledgement to him, then focused on the welding again. The sounds of hammers, blow torches, spray paint, and drills filled the factories as the workers picked up the pace and churned out Hornets at double speed, producing truckload after truckload. Three-Nine doubted she’d ever find out why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much happening this time, but I did enjoy writing a whole chapter from the POVs of minor characters.
> 
> Credit for some of the Rangers' names goes to various people on the old BLoSC forum—we once came up with names for all the background Rangers you see on the show. Turner's name has a convoluted history behind it, because she's the blonde Ranger who snaps Mira's picture in Mira's Wedding, and for awhile we all thought her name was Tundra, because that name is listed in the episode credits. I now believe Tundra was actually the female Grounder, so this character needed a new name, hence Turner.
> 
> Just a bit of trivia there for those who remember the name Tundra and might be wondering about the change.


	10. Chapter 9

_"And so Natron’s forces grew, and he expanded his empire across the stars, throughout his own galaxy and beyond, till he ruled almost the whole known universe."_

_"Even this planet, Ma?" the child asked._

_"Even this one," nodded his mother. "He created a system of tunnels through space—trans-spacial warps, I think they were called, but I never did pay much attention during history class—and he used them to travel to other galaxies and worlds, and then he would conquer every one of them!"_

_The child hugged his knees. "He must have been so powerful!"_

_"He was," affirmed his mother. "But not powerful enough. Eventually he was overthrown. The Protector rose against him, and is said to have entombed him and buried his city in the sands—no one knows where—and it now lies ruined and forgotten, a relic of an age long past." She used her best spooky voice to enhance the effect. She’d gotten good at telling this story._

_"Why?"_

_His mother shrugged. "Not everyone agreed with Natron—some thought he was a tyrant, and refused to acknowledge his rule. They didn’t see everything he’d done for them. He united the universe in a way no one else has ever been able to—think of it, all those people, all those worlds under the dominion of one man, and travel between them as easy as crossing a solar system." She sighed. "But after Natron was overthrown, the locations of the trans-spacial tunnels were forgotten, all the technology on Natron’s world was lost, the galaxies stopped working together, and even many of the worlds within those galaxies stopped associating with each other. We live in a dark age now, son."_

_Frowning, the boy asked, "What if someone found the tran-spa— the trans-spacey— the thingies, or found Natron’s planet? Wouldn’t they be able to unite the universe again?"_

_"Maybe. If someone could master intergalactic travel, perhaps they could bring the galaxies together again under their control, but I doubt it’ll ever happen. No one has that much power anymore."_

_"I wish I did." The boy laid back down in bed and nestled his head in the pillow. "I’d be the next Natron!"_

_His mother smiled and tucked the covers around him. "I’m sure you would. But right now you need to sleep. Goodnight, Zurg."_

* * *

Few people knew how far the elevator went down. Even fewer ever came back up again. Zurg stood with his arms folded as the lift grated and rattled its way down the shaft, the old cables groaning under the stress. Down he went, the air growing colder each second. With a metallic thud the elevator halted at last. The doors ground against the frames as they parted, a blast of damp, fetid air flowing in. Zurg felt his skin contract against the cold.

His nostrils scrunched up in disgust at the sight of stagnant puddles on the rough floor, a dull red from the dust that seeped in through cracks slowly breaking through the rusted walls. The ground was trying to reclaim its lost territory, one inch at a time. Already several wings had collapsed; in time he knew the whole level would cave in. Repairs, if done swiftly enough, could save it. But perhaps it was better this way. He had done a lot of things to a lot of people in this place, and even he wasn’t sure he was proud of all of it. It belonged in the past, not in the future he was building.

Grasping the sides of his robes, he pulled the hem above the floor and sidestepped the puddles, avoiding the clammy walls as well. The whole room stank of mould and stale air. His footsteps echoed across the long passage, the only break in the all-encompassing silence. Not even the distant clangs of the factories reached this deep. It would have been pitch black if not for his eyes, which cast their crimson glow upon the scene like the dying embers of a fire. Everything was still.

He soon came to a door at the end of the passage, locked and covered in a buildup of green slime. Scraping some off the keypad, his talons pressed the buttons with care and the doors lurched open. Light streamed through. It was a dim blue illumination, flickering from the overhead lighting strips. The room he entered was wide, circular, a long-forgotten control centre. The same algal growth adorned most of the dead consoles and glistened moistly in the light. Zurg suppressed a shiver.

"Ah, my evil emperor!" Too loud for such a hushed setting. He was always too loud. The Brain Pod wheeled forward to greet him.

"17." Zurg nodded.

Brain Pod 17 rested his robotic arms against one of the central control consoles, heedless of the grime. "I had a little talk with our prisoner. He wasn’t happy when I told him about the _incident_. Said it wouldn’t have happened if we’d left him in charge instead of dragging him back here when I came to go over the plans with you."

Zurg snorted. "As if I would have left him there without supervision."

"Exactly what I told him. He’s in a terrible mood right now, but he’s ready for transport."

"Good. Your ship is waiting for you on the surface."

Nodding, 17 gazed up at him quizzically. "So this is it? For real?"

"For real." The words had a strange taste as they rolled off his tongue. He’d stopped believing them so many failures ago. It was hard to believe them now, even after so much planning. After he was so _sure_. But there was no going back. _I’m making the right choice,_ he told himself.

"Shall we get started, then?" asked 17, withdrawing his metal arms into his body.

Zurg nodded. The pair set off down one of the shadowy corridors, soon entering a larger walkway lined with mouldy cells. Most were empty now, a collection of rusty bars, rat excrement, and cracked floors housing foul puddles. But not all. They passed a cell where a pile of decaying rags lay over the algae-covered remains of a former prisoner. The skeleton had been gnawed beyond recognition by rodents, leaving Zurg to wonder who it had been. He didn’t know why it bothered him that he couldn’t remember.

"Help me." It was a groan more than a cry. "Please. I beg forgiveness. Please! Let me out, let me out! Have mercy, Zurg!"

The emperor cast a fiery gaze at the pitiful creature clinging to the bars of its cell. Its skin had taken on an ashen hue, and it shrunk away under the light of his eyes. "That’s _Evil Emperor_ Zurg to you!" he corrected.

The creature bowed its lobes. "I-I’m sorry."

"You’d better be!" It deserved its fate. It wasn’t just a failure, it had _humiliated_ him. He’d had to spend a month—a whole month!—as a pathetic _slime creature_ because its plan had gone wrong! "Enjoy your incarceration, 26!"

17 looked back with his arms folded. "Need I remind you we’re running on a tight schedule, my evil emperor? No time for chitchat!" The Brain Pod wheeled onward, not even sparing a glance at his wretched brother.

Zurg stood back, still watching the prisoner who looked up at him imploringly. It’s robot shell was gone, now a rusted heap in the corner of the cell. The creature looked pathetic, vulnerable, a brain on a mass of squishy tendrils. He could crush it beneath his boot if he desired. It was helpless.

A feeling he knew well.

He remembered lying in the sand, the winds howling around him, the stink of blood on his clothes. Zurg clenched his fists. _I swore I would never go through that again. I swore I would never be powerless after that._ This creature had stripped his power from him and made him go through all those feelings a second time. _Did any of them realise what they could have done in that month? I was at their mercy._ He wondered if his subjects had remained faithful out of loyalty or fear. _Two sides of the same coin, really._

True strength was crushing the weak while they were in your grasp. No mercy, no pity. Get them before they could get you, and make those who had dared to wrong you suffer.

His hand brushed over the bars, rust falling loose at his touch. 26 scrambled back, but his talons were upon its neck already. They dug in. An inky liquid oozed around the punctures, and 26 let out a choked squeal. "You want to leave the dungeons?" Zurg asked.

The Brain Pod nodded, its eyes moist and bulging.

"So be it." He tightened his grip, squeezing, compressing. _I am the strong one. Not my minions, not that pathetic Galactic Alliance, not_ her _. Not even Buzz Lightyear._ His fist relaxed and he dropped the body. He took his hand in his cape, drawing the fabric over the smooth gauntlet to wipe it clean. A wet patch soaked through, but the black cloth would hide the stain. He followed 17. _I have what it takes._

"I have the pain inducer right here," 17 chattered when Zurg had caught up, "but you’ll still have to be wary. Never turn your back on him."

"Do you think I’m an idiot? I know who I’m dealing with. I was the one who broke him!"

"Mmhmm." The Pod squinted. "I’m not sure ‘broken’ is the word I’d use. ‘Contained’ perhaps, but for how long? He grows more feral by the day."

Zurg shrugged. "Soon he will no longer be necessary."

"And then?"

"Dispose of him."

17's eyes gleamed. "Do I have the liberty of choosing the method?"

"You do not. I will deal with him myself when the times comes."

"But you’ll have the other one!"

"I will finish what I started," Zurg insisted. "I owe him that much."

They reached the end of the walkway. A door stood before them; slick, shiny terrillium. While 17 began unsealing the multitude of locks, Zurg straightened his robes and held his head high. His arms dropped to his sides, the fingers locked into fists. At last the door jerked open and he stepped through, hoping he looked strong and imposing. "Prisoner 42." The designation had a delicious irony to it.

"I have a name." The voice came from the dark, hoarse and unyielding. As light filtered through the open door, a figure appeared at the far end of the cell, slumped against the slime-covered wall. His cheekbones still protruded and there was a hollowness around the eyes, but he had improved since the last visit. Gone were the tattered rags and damp, lice-infested hair. Life outside the cell had treated him well.

"No. You are nothing." Zurg’s gaze drilled through the man. His posture was one of defeat, but the eyes told a different story. They didn’t have the fire that blazed in Zurg’s own, being instead a blue as cold as the glaciers of Shragarak. Hard. Like ice crystals that shattered before they would bend. He would never admit it, but Zurg found them unnerving to stare into.

The prisoner tilted his head. "Then that makes you less than nothing. Argh!" Stumbling to the floor, he clutched his neck, yanking at the metal collar that buzzed with electricity. A red ring covered the skin where his efforts had rubbed his neck raw.

"Tsk, tsk." 17 lowered the remote. "I told you to behave yourself for the evil emperor."

"Go fuck yourself, brain."

The Pod glanced to Zurg, lifting the remote, but the emperor shook his head. "I need you to return to your duties," Zurg told the prisoner. "We’re shipping out tonight. Brain Pod 17 will escort you to your men."

"Do you trust me, Zurg?" He opened his mouth in a lopsided grin, revealing a gap in his front teeth. Zurg flexed his fist, remembering the blow he’d dealt. The man hadn’t even flinched.

17 lowered his brow. "You will address him as Evil Emperor Zurg at all times! Must we keep going through this? Give your master the respect he deserves!"

The prisoner spat. "That’s the respect he deserves."

Zurg waved his hand, and another surge of electricity ran through the collar. As the man writhed over the filthy floor, his hands around his neck, he gasped, "You shouldn’t trust me, you know. I’m going to kill you."

"Blablabla. I’ve heard it all before." They all thought they were so tough—Madam President swearing undying loyalty to the Galactic Alliance, this man and his death threats—but there was only one person who ever delivered on his oaths against the emperor, and he wasn’t present. _And I’ll take care of him too soon enough._

"I’ve got so much planned for you," the man breathed out as the pain inducer ceased. "Nothing like this. You’re good at the pain, I’ll give you that, but that’s all you can do. Brute force. You don’t have the guts for anything better." The smile returned. "Oh, just you wait, Zurg. Just you wait and see."

Zurg yanked him up by the collar, dragging him across the rough ground. "Your plans will have to wait. You have an appointment you simply can’t miss."

* * *

Buzz allowed the weariness to descend on him, pushing himself back against his chair. They’d left Morph, and now the stars blazed past in brilliant streaks as they headed home to Star Command. Yawning, he crossed his arms and let his mind go blank. He hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since the president’s assassination, so he’d accepted Mira’s offer to fly the ship with gratitude.

After several minutes, though, he opened his eyes and frowned. The exhaustion wouldn’t leave his body, but neither would his walls drop long enough to let in some much needed rest. Something was gnawing at his mind, making him uneasy. It was a familiar feeling—one he’d come to recognise after many years of service as a Space Ranger. That sense of foreboding, the way the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his body tingled when he knew something somewhere was not right in the universe. Ranger instinct, he called it, and it had never failed him yet. Many times he’d been saved by this sixth sense, despite the mocking laughter of colleagues like Rocket when he mentioned it.

There were other instincts he’d developed too. Some called it obsession, he called it study. Hours of pouring over reports of Zurg’s deeds, going over the fiend’s words in his head, unravelling the intricate layers of his schemes... It had paid off. He could match the man’s thought processes exactly, read them from the slightest word or gesture, and he’d even learned to anticipate Zurg’s actions before they occurred. At times it almost worried him that he could think so much like the emperor. Sometimes he saw a security weakness and thought of all the ways he could exploit it, or thought how easy it would be to get rid of someone who got in his way. Of course, he would never even consider doing any of those things, but the thoughts came all the same. It would be so easy to stray onto the wrong path. Maybe that was where people like Warp had gone wrong.

His instincts were whispering to him now, telling him not to trust the silence coming from Zurg’s corner of the galaxy. With the exception of one obnoxious visit during the president’s funeral (which felt suspiciously like gloating, though Buzz didn’t want to jump to any conclusions), Zurg had been quiet for months. It made no sense—Zurg was the last person to let the Alliance’s moment of weakness slip by him. _He’s up to something,_ Buzz thought. _I just need to know what._ The Ranger pressed his lips together tightly, wishing they could keep a closer eye on Zurg. But with the assassination and the strange ships on the frontier, Star Command’s resources were spread thin already. The best they could do would be to patrol the borders more stringently, and the Senate was still debating even that idea and had only allowed Star Command to send out one extra ship. _Idiot politicians._ He sighed.

"Something wrong, Buzz?" Mira was looking at him, her head tilted in concern. "You seem... disturbed."

Buzz shrugged. "Oh, it’s nothing, Mira. Nothing concrete, anyway. I’m just... worried, I guess."

"Tell me about it," nodded the Tangean. "This has been quite a week."

"It hasn’t even been a week." Rubbing his eyes, Buzz tried to brush away the exhaustion he felt. "The president was killed three days ago."

"Huh." Mira shrugged. "Seems like longer. Maybe ‘cause so much has happened, and it seems like we’ve been working day and night lately."

They lapsed into silence. Buzz drummed his fingers on the panel in front of him and rested his chin in his hand, realising it would be useless to try to nap. He was too on edge for sleep, but too tired to concentrate on anything—not exactly the best condition for the pride of Star Command to be in.

He glanced at Mira, wondering if she felt the same. Her normally immaculate hair was limp and dishevelled, though she’d plainly made a small attempt to comb it out that morning, and there were dark circles under her eyes. However, she seemed more focused than him, keeping tabs on all her readouts while she directed the ship along its course. _Sometimes I think there might just be something to that Tangean superiority her father always talks about_ , he mused. Out loud, he said, "I think I’ll get myself some coffee."

"‘Kay. I’ll look after things here, sir."

Buzz rose from his chair and crossed the bridge, passing Booster and XR’s empty stations. When he reached the galley, he found them there, seated at the table. XR had a can of oil in one hand and a set of cards in the other, while Booster was surrounded by half the contents of the refrigerator.

"Hi, Buzz," the Jo-Adian greeted through a mouthful of ice cream. "Want to join us?"

"No thanks, Booster." The captain quickly shook his head. "I’m just here for a cup of joe." He reached for the coffee maker.

"These long cruiser trips are the worst, eh?" XR shuffled the deck. "Makes me glad all I have to do is plug into a charger when I’m tired."

While Buzz waited for the coffee to come streaming down from the machine, he watched his friends continue their game. XR was cracking jokes as usual, and Booster laughed and wolfed down food like he hadn’t eaten in days. Buzz found himself envying them. His team seemed to be adjusting to the uneasy state of affairs better than he was. _Maybe I’m getting old,_ he thought, rubbing his neck.

XR laid down his cards face up on the table. "Beat that!" he said, pointing to the set.

Frowning, Booster studied his own cards a moment, then set them down opposite XR’s. "I think I just did!"

The robot’s jaw dropped. "Aw, man, why did I ever teach you how to play?!"

"I’ll second that." Buzz took the now full mug out from the coffee machine and blew steam off it. "Don’t go corrupting Booster, XR." His brow furrowed. "I’m still not happy about that incident at the bar on Morph..."

"Aw, c’mon, Buzz, it’s not like we’re gambling or anything," returned XR. "We’re just playing for fun—fortunately," he added out the corner of his mouth. "Otherwise I’d be cleaned out."

Booster grinned. "I’m sorry, XR," he said. "I guess I’m just good at this game."

Taking a seat next to them at the table, Buzz patted the Jo-Adian’s shoulder. "That’ll teach you not to underestimate him, XR."

"Gee, thanks, Buzz." Booster blushed.

Buzz smiled and took a sip of the hot coffee. The admiration and downright adoration that gleamed in Booster’s eyes when he looked at him always lifted his spirits. His coffee mug clinked as he rested it on the table. Sometimes he wondered if he deserved that kind of veneration, if he really was the hero Booster thought he was. But even if he wasn’t, he’d make darn sure he tried to be.

* * *

Not every prisoner was relegated to the forgotten depths beneath the palace. Zurg’s hand hovered over the door controls. A pair of Hornets stood watch on either side, though he doubted their necessity. _Still, better safe than sorry._ Punching the button down, he swept through into the infirmary. His eyes blinked against the harsh lighting. Flashing readouts and beeping equipment greeted him, but the room was largely empty. There wasn’t much need for doctors on Planet Z, where life was as disposable as the cartons Zurg’s favourite brand of ice cream came in.

He stiffened, taking cautious steps across the polished floor. An ache seemed to creep up through his chest and into his ribs at the memory of his last visit to the infirmary. Such humiliation...

"Ah, my evil emperor!" A Brain Pod left its station to meet him.

"How is the patient?" asked Zurg.

"Good, good!" the Pod assured him. "Recovering nicely! She’ll need some additional treatment along the way, but she’s ready for transport."

Zurg nodded.

"And how are you?" the Pod asked idly. "The broken arm mended alright?"

Clenching his fist, Zurg restrained the urge to grab the Pod by the neck and throttle it. "Just take me to the prisoner." The whole embarrassing incident on Sentilla VI was best left forgotten.

"As you wish." Leading him through a maze of equipment, the Brain Pod whisked aside a curtain, revealing a rumpled bed. The woman sitting upon it didn’t turn around.

"Is it time?" she asked.

She wouldn’t face him. Zurg shifted his weight from one foot to another hesitantly. It didn’t matter, he decided, he wanted her to fear him. But he preferred it when he could look his enemies in the eye. "Madam President."

"Is it time?" she repeated.

He shrugged. "After you."

Dropping to the ground and wincing, she tugged the wrinkles out her medical gown and padded forward, rubbing her arm. Zurg eyed the inflamed ridges patterning her skin. He wondered if they would leave scars. She set her mouths in two firm lines and forced an upward glance at him. "You still haven’t said where we’re going."

"You’ll find out."

"And once we’re there? What then?"

"Then, Madam President? Everything."

There was silence as she studied him, tilting her head as if trying to discern the meaning of his words. Her eyes remained wide, cautious, like a rabbit ready to bolt. He wondered how much of her strength it took just to look him in the eye. And yet, like the other prisoner, she wasn’t broken. Not completely. _But she will be when this is over,_ he assured himself.

Her cracked lips twitched. "There’s blood on your cape," she said at last.

Zurg glanced down, pulling the fabric closer for inspection. The dark edges of the stain were well hidden amongst the black cloth. But she’d noticed. "So there is."

"And who did you kill today, hmm?"

Against his will, he felt his hands shake. "No one of consequence."

"Who was it?" she insisted.

"No one!" He didn’t have to defend himself to her. "One of my own minions. No one your precious Galactic Alliance would care about."

Her face hardened, and the fear ebbed as anger replaced it. "You think we don’t care? We’ve tried to save as many of them as we can! Every time one of those poor souls gets out, we bring them to safety, at great risk to our own people!" Both mouths were scowling now. "You’re the one who enslaves them! And murders them too, apparently! Are you saying _you_ care?"

He was surprised to see her go reeling backwards, until he looked down at his own outstretched hand. He really would have to control these fits of anger, he thought, knowing how important a cool head would be in the days to come, but he decided she’d deserved it this time.

Pulling herself up and rubbing her cheek where he’d hit her, the president tried to meet his gaze but glanced away at the last moment. Good, the fear had returned. "Get dressed," he snarled, turning away. "I will be waiting outside. We’re leaving now."

"Zurg." Her voice wavered as she spoke. "Why... why haven’t you killed me? I’ve given you everything... Merciful cosmos, I gave you the Alliance defense codes... What do you need me for now?"

"I don’t." He didn’t turn around, drawing a deep breath as he hesitated beside the door. "But I, er, did tell you I would spare you if you gave in, so... so here we are."

Her hollow laugh rang out above the beeping of the equipment. "Since when do you keep your promises?"

"I don’t," he repeated, looking back. "Remember that, Madam President, any time you start feeling too safe." But as he turned away, sweeping through the open door, he found himself pondering the same question.

 


	11. Chapter 10

He padded over the spongy moss that carpeted the rocks, watching the dance of sunlight on the rippling surface of the pond. Settling on a log bench with a sigh, Professor Triffid breathed in the fresh, earthy smells blown in by the breeze. The spa was quiet so early in the morning, and he was alone in his favourite corner of the mood garden. Even the overseer, Tubunch, didn’t seem to be about yet. In the distance, a thin curtain of mist lay over the city, but already the grey of dawn had given way to a startlingly blue sky and the sun was beginning to warm the land.

Triffid rested his hands on his knees, humming softly to himself. A burst of purple from one of the shrubs told him the garden was appreciating his good mood. Interesting things, empathic plants, he mused. Much of Rhizome’s amazing flora was the result of specialised breeding and genetic engineering, but the empathic plants of the mood garden were entirely natural. They kept the forests in balance, the flowers blooming beautifully for the birds and the bugs when all was well, the wrapper weeds strangling everything if the fragile harmony of nature was shattered, only dying away when it was restored. He was sure there was a metaphor for life in there somewhere, but for once he lacked the interest to look for it.

He’d found himself coming to the spa more and more lately. He told himself it was just stress from his workload at the university, but he never was good at lying, especially to himself. The professor ran a hand through his white hair. He remembered when he was a bright young boy, fresh out of school, looking for a job at one of the vege-genetic research centres. So many years had passed since then. He’d gotten what he wanted—a good job, a life devoted to the organic science he believed would revolutionise the universe, and even a few adventures, such as that run-in with the energy vampire. And yet, looking back, it still felt hollow. What had he accomplished? Tugging at his beard, he shook his head wistfully. _Twenty years from now, who will even remember my name?_

His tenure with the university would soon be over. Retirement loomed on the horizon like a black cloud. When he finished teaching, what then? A life alone, cooped up in his little cottage, pottering around the greenhouse? Was that all he would amount to in the end?

It could have been different, he supposed. Another path, another life... He could have had a family, or at least a spouse. But there had never been time for that, not when the next great discovery might be waiting for him at the bottom of every test tube. It wouldn’t have been fair to expect someone else to put up with him... but it would have been nice, all the same.

Scratching his neck, he sighed. _Now where’s the point in what-ifs? They won’t change the past._ And could he honestly say he would have lived any differently, given the chance? He needed to stop being so melancholy—it was a beautiful day, and all was well! It was time he was leaving anyway. _If I don’t get to the university soon I’ll be caught in traffic, and then I’ll be late for sure._

He started humming again, heaving himself up from the bench and dusting his clothes off. A few visitors were now strolling through the shrubbery, and he waved to them as he took the winding path back to the main entrance. Climbing into his vine car, he took a last look at the tranquil spa and began his commute. The university wasn’t far, but already the sky lanes were filling with vehicles, and he wondered if he’d arrive on time.

A few minutes would hardly make a difference, though. Half the students were always late themselves anyway. He tsked, thinking of the younger generation. Sometimes he wondered if there was any hope for them. Still, he could but try to instil what knowledge he had into their thick heads. They weren’t all bad, really. There was Cyme, always asking questions, always the first to arrive and the last to leave. He had high hopes for that boy. Perhaps he could mould him into a proper scientist, someone to continue his work in vege-genetics after he retired. It was the one thing he might yet be able to accomplish.

He glanced out the window. The sun was streaming down brilliantly, glistening on the organic surfaces of the city’s skyscrapers and bathing the forest around them in warm yellow light. Butterflies flitted through the air, and with the windows down Triffid could hear the distant song of birds. It really was a beautiful day, almost too lovely to spend indoors. Maybe he’d have time to take an evening stroll in one of the parks after he left the university.

Rhizome was a true paradise, or as near to one as you’d ever find. People lived in harmony with nature, and with each other. Petty crime was as rare on Rhizome as snow on Mahambas VI, and actual violence was unheard of. His lips formed a half smile, thinking of the Space Ranger, Buzz Lightyear. It was no wonder he couldn’t fit in on Rhizome. They had no need for space policemen wearing wrist lasers and battle armour, any more than Star Command had need of flower gardens. As much as he respected the man, he hoped one day the rest of the universe wouldn’t need him either. The president’s death had left chaos in its wake, but he still believed galactic peace could be achieved, eventually.

The birdsong stopped. He half wondered what had disturbed them, but kept his mind on the traffic in front of him as his vine car crawled along its tether. _I’ll definitely be late if this doesn’t clear._ He tapped on the dashboard as he waited.

A fresh breeze wafted through the open window, teasing the wisps of hair that had escaped his ponytail. Glancing up, he frowned as he noticed a darkening of the sky. The sun, shining so bright a moment before, was lost in shadow. "Strange, my rain plant wasn’t in flower this morning..." He peered out, watching as the darkness thickened. And yet, no more than a few miles off, the forest was still flooded with light. It was as if a dark cloud had settled over the city and the city alone.

His eyes narrowed as he thought he caught the sharpening of a silhouette in the clouds. _Someone’s here._ It was a ship, it had to be. That was what had blotted out the sun. But it couldn’t be Rhizomian design—they didn’t have any that big. Triffid leaned out the window, anxious to get a better look. The sky grew darker.

The crack came without warning, like a cloudburst on a hot summer afternoon. There was a red shimmer in the sky, then a blinding streak of light and a boom that rang through his ears and rattled across the vehicle. It was as if a thunderstorm were raging right outside the car.

_Snap!_

Before Triffid had any idea what was going on, he found himself thrown against the windshield and saw the ground rushing towards him at a frightening speed. _The vine!_ Somehow the tether that held the vehicles had been severed, flinging the cars off with the ease of an animal shaking the water from its coat. In the few seconds he had before the inevitable impact with the ground, Triffid grabbed one of the seats and clung to it desperately, bracing himself.

Time seemed to slow as he waited, and when the crash did come his senses were thrown into confusion as everything went black and all he could hear was glass shattering and plant matter crunching and twisting. He felt the car roll several times before coming to a stop, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on the ceiling. Broken glass lay all around and blood seeped from a hundred tiny nicks all over his body. When he tried to rise, he found his left leg hurt too much to move, and his right leg didn’t feel much better.

Dragging himself forward with his hands, he crawled out one of the broken windows and emerged amongst a heap of rubble. Up above, the sky was black. He coughed as the thick smoke filling the air entered his lungs. His vision began to fade but he clung to consciousness long enough to pull himself past the fallen cars, grabbing the side of one and heaving himself up. When he was finally able to see the city, his resolve fled and he slid down, dropping into the ash-covered dirt. "No..."

* * *

His short feet scampered through dark corridors, and his antennae quivered. Grub 128112 picked out his path without a second thought, the intricate hallways of Zurg’s ship already burned into his mind. When he reached his destination he stopped, panting, at the feet of the Hornets guarding the door, and stammered out his orders. They stood aside and the doors opened.

"Who’s there?" came the voice within.

One-Two took a few deep gulps of air and stepped into the doorway. "Evil Emperor Zurg requests your presence on the bridge."

"Funny, he usually collects me himself." The prisoner, the woman who had once ruled the Galactic Alliance, looked down on him in scorn.

"The evil emperor is busy."

She shrugged. "What does he want me for?"

One-Two scrunched up his face awkwardly. "I can’t say. But he _insisted_."

With a sigh of resignation, she emerged from the darkened room. One-Two studied her, his wide eyes noting every detail. So she was the one who had commanded his emperor’s greatest foes? Strange, she didn’t seem all that threatening. Now, Evil Emperor Zurg, there was a leader, a man to be respected and feared! His very posture was one of command and dominance. But this person... she had an air of authority, yet her voice rang with defeat. She looked weak. How could such a being have ruled an empire?

Saying nothing, the Grub motioned for the president to follow, and he retraced his path through the halls. The Hornets trailed behind, their weapons at ready should the prisoner try to escape. Somehow, One-Two didn’t think she would.

They travelled in silence for some time, then the president opened one of her mouths. "Tell me, child," her voice was surprisingly gentle, "do you have a name?"

He paused, antennae twitching. "After hatching, I was registered as Grub 128112."

"But don’t you have a proper name?"

"I am usually called One-Two."

This answer didn’t seem to satisfy her, but she let it go. "How long have you been here?"

One-Two led her down a stairwell. "I’m three months old."

Her brow creased. "Only three months?"

Standing up a little straighter, the Grub frowned indignantly. "Brain Pod 39 says my performance is exceptional for someone my age. I’m the youngest worker ever to be assigned to the evil emperor’s personal staff!"

"What do you do for him?"

"I’m his assistant." He beamed proudly.

She said nothing.

When they reached the end of the long hall, One-Two stood on tip-toes to reach the door controls, vaguely aware of the way the president was edging back but thinking nothing of it. It was only natural to be fearful in the presence of the emperor, after all. It was proper and right.

The doors swooshed open dramatically, light from the bridge’s massive windows pouring in. A blue expanse greeted his compound vision, and down below he could see the spires of the city, their organic walls broken and aflame. A crimson glow lay over the capital while the sky above was a brilliant blue.

"Good galaxies," the president breathed behind him.

"Ah, Madam President." The voice echoed from above, and there was the low whine of a motor as Zurg’s throne descended from the ceiling on its crane. Emerging from the shadows, Zurg sat with his robes draped majestically over his stiffly-poised form, while his eyes wandered from the scene outside to the party that had just entered.

One-Two bowed to his master, stepping back to give the president centre stage.

She was trembling as she approached the throne, her fists clenched. "What have you done?!" both mouths hurled the question at him. One-Two cringed. It wasn’t proper to speak to the emperor that way.

Zurg chuckled. "This? This is only the beginning, Madam President."

The woman’s eyes swept over the carnage playing out on the surface beneath them. "This is Rhizome! A peaceful planet! And you’re... you’re murdering these innocent folk!"

"I’m _subjugating_ them." Zurg moved the throne closer to the window. "I thought you might like to watch. Grubs, begin the broadcast—holographic transmitters." Rising, he smoothed the wrinkles from his clothes and held up his head. The sun’s rays streamed through the glass, glinting in sharp streaks off his armour. His cape trailed behind him, splayed over the throne in satiny red-and-black folds. One-Two watched, entranced. His emperor never failed to cut an impressive figure. "People of Rhizome," Zurg announced.

The president gasped as she saw the emperor’s image appear in the sky outside, giant and translucent. It dominated the landscape, flickering as plumes of smoke rose through it.

"I am the Evil Emperor Zurg, sworn enemy of the Galactic Alliance, ruler of Planet Z and all of its subject worlds, and future conqueror of the universe. And _you_ are under attack." To illustrate his point, Zurg gestured to one of the Brain Pods. A faint vibration ran through the floor as a volley of torpedoes left the ship, plunging into blackened city below. Several thuds reverberated through the Dreadnought and great fireballs bloomed above the city, giving way to thick, black smoke, obscuring the viewports until the wind cleared it away.

"No!" The president rushed forward, falling short of the throne as the Hornets clamped their metal fingers around her wrists. "Stop it! Stop it!"

One-Two scampered over to her, his feelers twitching. "Don’t interrupt the evil emperor," he whispered.

Zurg didn’t spare them a glance. "If you do not surrender immediately, totally, and unconditionally," he continued his address to Rhizome, "I will raze everything on this filthy little planet to the mud and roots it sprang from. I have already destroyed your defense system, and all transmissions from this system are being jammed. There is no escape." He smiled. "Only death or defeat. Which do you prefer?"

One-Two felt his face glow with admiration for his leader, and he watched as a transmission came in from the Rhizomians, the people offering their surrender with wide, tearful eyes. The president hung her head and turned away.

* * *

Space. They’d been staring at nothing but black, empty, dull-as-dirt space for four consecutive hours. Rocket Crockett sighed and checked the readouts. Nothing to report in this system either. "Let’s move on," he said to his partner, Rusty, as he fired up the thrusters. "Ugh, these long patrol missions suck."

He knew whose fault it was too. Lightyear had been lobbying for more patrols on the Alliance borders since the president’s death, and in response Star Cruiser 22 had been sent out. Rocket sighed. _Buzz_ got to work on the assassination case, _Buzz_ got to look into the strange activity on the frontier, and _Buzz_ got to send _other_ people out on patrols. If he was so keen on increased security around the borders, why didn’t he patrol them himself? But he’d never do that, would he? Not when he could let everyone else handle the drudge work.

Sometimes it was hard to believe the two of them had once been such good friends. They still got along okay from time to time, but more often than not they were rivals, and there were moments when Rocket couldn’t stand the man. He was just so... _arrogant_. Always thinking he knew better than everyone else, unable to stay out of the limelight for even a minute, hogging glory wherever he could, convinced he was the greatest guy in the universe, trying to show everyone else up and steal all the good assignments... the list just went on and on. Rocket was a competitive person too, he could admit that, but he tried not to let it get too far. He’d bristled a little in the Academy when Buzz always outdid him at everything, but he let it go. Who didn’t show off at the Academy, right? But when they’d been put on a team together, things had gotten out of hand. They were all a few years out of the Academy at the time, and that competition nonsense should have been far behind them by then.

But Buzz... Even during missions, Buzz always had to be the best. Oh, you’d destroyed three Hornets? Well, Buzz would take out four! You’d captured a dangerous fugitive? Buzz would take down a whole network of organised interstellar crime! It drove Rocket crazy. Just once—just _once_ —he would have liked to be the best. To be the one everyone congratulated. But Buzz always stole the glory.

 _Getting transferred off that team was the best thing that ever happened to me_. Now he was a captain with his own cruiser and a partner who respected him, and occasionally a good assignment was even thrown his way when Buzz was busy. _Things could be a lot worse._ He thought of his other teammates. Ty Parsec had left the team a year before Rocket, but he hadn’t fared as well. The unfortunate Ranger had a knack for finding himself in dangerous situations, and somehow Buzz was always the one who showed up to rescue him. As someone who’d been saved by Buzz more than a few times himself, Rocket could easily imagine how this must have infuriated Ty. And to make things worse, all he ever got were dead-end assignments like that post on Canis Lunis. Rocket shook his head. It hadn’t really surprised him when he heard Ty had attacked Buzz after he turned into the Wirewolf.

And then there was Warp Darkmatter. Warp had always been a cool guy. Rocket never got to know him that well because Warp hung out with Buzz more than the other Rangers, but when they did spend time together it was fun. They used to go down to a little joint on Trade World sometimes and shoot some pool. Rocket had never understood how Warp managed to put up with Buzz for twenty years and even seemed to _like_ him. Of course, Warp had turned out to be a mole, so it was probably just an act, but if it was then it was a good one. Maybe it was because Warp seemed to be the only person Buzz ever treated as an equal. The man had somehow earned Lightyear’s respect, which Rocket suspected neither he nor Ty had ever quite done. _Ironic, isn’t it, since Warp was working for Zurg all along? Maybe Lightyear’s judgement isn’t as good as he thinks it is_.

"Hey, Rocket?"

"Huh?" Shaking away his thoughts, he glanced at his partner. "Yeah, Rusty?"

"I’m getting a message from Star Command." Rusty peered at his screen. "Seems the Galactic Alliance lost contact with Rhizome a short time ago. They’re thinking it may just be one of the subspace relays malfunctioning, but they want us to check it out since we’re in the neighbourhood."

Nodding, Rocket plotted in the new course. "At last, some excitement!" Oh, craters, were things so bad he considered a routine check on Rhizome excitement?

Once the course was set and they were on their way, he turned to his partner again, deciding it was time to break the bored silence which had hung over them most of the day. "So, Rusty, how was your weekend on Mahambas VI?"

"Pretty good," replied Rusty. "Two days of zero paperwork—just the sun, the surf, and netball on the beach! Ha, one time I almost got bowled over by some weird old dude muttering about needing to get back somewhere because the fate of the galaxy could be at stake. Mahambas VI is a crazy place, man."

"Didn’t hit the casinos, did you?"

"Nah, not my thing. Can’t afford it," he chuckled. "How’ve you been? And the family?"

Rocket shrugged. "We’re all good. Jimmy was sick a few days ago but he’s over it now, and Erica’s starting her new job tomorrow. Oh, and my brother’s team has been assigned traffic duty for the week, so he’s enjoying himself. Crazy kid likes pretty much any mission thrown his way."

He smiled, thinking about all the different people in his life. He’d often heard it said that if you wanted to make a career out of being a Ranger, you had to give up things like having a family. Well, that may have been true for people like Buzz, but not him. Family had always been important to him—with his dad dying when he was young, and his mother working all day to support them, he’d been forced to raise his kid brother on his own. He refused to let his work get in the way of his personal life, and the job was that much more satisfying when you had a wonderful wife and the cutest kid in the world to come home to each evening.

"We’re entering Sector 6," Rusty told him. "We’ll reach Rhizome in a minute."

"Run a scan of the area—see if there’s anything out of the ordinary," said Rocket, shrugging. "It’s probably just a communications failure, but let’s be sure."

His partner nodded, bending over his screen. "Alright, well, everything looks... Wait, what? Sweet Venus, Rocket! There’s a fleet around the planet—Zurg’s fleet!"

Pushing his partner out the way, Rocket checked the screen and his eyebrows shot up. "We gotta report this to Star Command!"

"Shouldn’t we do something? We can’t just let that bucket-head have his way with Rhizome! There’s no telling what he’ll do!"

Rocket shook his head. "Are you crazy? We can’t take on all those ships on our own! We need to go back for reinforcements. I don’t like this any better than you, but we gotta get out of here as fast as possible. If Zurg sees us, we’re toast!"

"Couldn’t we just go in a little closer to get a better idea of what we’re dealing with?" Rusty insisted. "We have to do _something_!"

* * *

"Our business on Rhizome is concluded." Zurg sat down and crossed his legs primly as he cut the channel to the Rhizomian officials. "Leave one of the ships in orbit to stand watch and establish a foothold, and tell the rest of the fleet to proceed on to the next planet. Let’s see, who _is_ next on our list? Verdentia, I believe?" The Grubs and Brain Pods nodded. "Excellent. Set a course for Verdentia at once." Leaning back in his throne, Zurg sighed with satisfaction. That was one planet down, an entire galaxy to go.

One of his Grubs suddenly squeaked and glanced nervously at the others, then whispered something to the Brain Pods. Zurg eyed them suspiciously. "What is it? What’s going on? Did one of you sneak some cake onto the bridge again? I thought I told you to stop doing that!"

The lackeys shook their heads. "No, Your Evilness," one answered. "I-it’s not that. Worse..."

"Worse?" Why didn’t they ever just give him a straight answer? "What is it then? Donuts? Well? Out with it!"

"Nothing like that at all, my evil emperor," said a Brain Pod. "We’re detecting a star cruiser moving towards the planet, trying to hide behind Rhizome’s moons."

The president looked up from the corner into which she’d sunk, her eyes suddenly gleaming.

Zurg felt the metal buckle as he clenched the sides of his throne. "A star cruiser?" He’d planned this all so carefully, he would not have it ruined by Star Command’s interference! Not now! Still, a star cruiser didn’t automatically mean everything was lost. The Alliance would find out what was going on soon enough anyway—he’d just hoped it would be when he had all of his fleet together. They weren’t ready for a big confrontation yet. The star cruiser would have to be destroyed. There was just one thing he needed to know. "Which star cruiser?" He found himself begging whatever forces controlled the universe not to let it be 42. _Please, please, anyone but Buzz!_ He could handle the other Rangers, but Lightyear... Lightyear always ruined his plans. He had no doubt that infernal do-gooder would find a way to free Rhizome single-handedly if he were there. So many plots had been foiled by Buzz’s intervention, so many dreams shattered. As much as it grated him to admit it, he wasn’t ready to take on Lightyear yet.

"Star Cruiser 22," the Brain Pod told him.

22... that would be Space Ranger Rocket Crockett’s ship. Zurg sighed in relief. It was one of Lightyear’s friends, not the man himself. His plans were safe for now. "Send in the fighters to intercept and destroy them!" he ordered.

"No!" The president shot to her feet, but no one paid her any mind.

The minions set to work and Zurg leaned back and watched. He clasped his hands together and rested them on his lap, twiddling his thumbs as he waited for his orders to be carried out. Through the window, ships could be seen breaking formation and heading for the moon, their guns emerging and charging ominously. Lightyear’s time would come, but not today.

Light streamed across the window as the ships opened fire. The cruiser came out of hiding, making a desperate dash away from the fleet, but the fighters kept up a relentless pursuit. Zurg smiled, telling the Grubs to move the Dreadnought in closer. He wanted to witness the Rangers’ demise.

Channelling all their energy into the engines, obviously hoping to make a getaway rather than stand and fight, the cruiser didn’t try to return fire. Several shots from Zurg’s ships connected with the vessel, knocking it about and leaving black scorch marks on the hull, but the ship didn’t slow down. Two of the pursuers came up alongside the cruiser and opened fire. The cruiser suddenly plunged down, and the volley of fire from the two attackers slammed into each other, sending them wheeling off-course and colliding into one of the other ships. Zurg shielded his eyes as bright light flooded the bridge from the explosion, and when he looked again he saw that in the confusion the cruiser had gained a wide lead.

He frowned in annoyance. It might not have been Lightyear, but apparently he was still dealing with a formidable opponent. Fortunately, his own ships continued their pursuit, and they let loose with the full force of their weaponry.

The star cruiser dodged a few of the blasts, but many more found their mark, and Zurg could see the ship was weakening. Already it had slowed a little, and parts of the hull seemed to be buckling ominously. _Jim cracking dandy! It won’t be long now._

And then one of the Grubs spoke up. "Your Evilness," it gulped, "the cruiser is transmitting a message to Star Command!"

"What? How?! Isn’t the jamming signal still up?"

The Grub nodded. "Yes, but the ship has just left the range of the signal. They are now free to broadcast on all subspace frequencies."

"Blast!" Zurg brought his fist down on the armrest of his throne. "Fine, call off the attack. No need to risk losing any more of our ships now that the damage has been done." He growled to himself and then sighed. "We’ll have to move quickly. We must mass all our forces sooner than planned and continue the march forward. Star Command is _not_ going to stop me from completing my conquest!"

The attacking ships stood down and swung back, returning to the main fleet while the star cruiser sped off to safety. It was a disappointing conclusion to what had thus far been a very good day, but Zurg refused to let himself be fazed. A few things had gone wrong, yes, but on the whole his plan was working beautifully. And he still had some aces up his sleeve which Star Command didn’t know about.

He tapped his fingers together. "You’re in for a few surprises, Buzz Lightyear."


	12. Chapter 11

He leaned against the railing, his fingers curled around the metal banister. The distant hum of activity was all around, white noise against his thoughts. Commander Nebula’s eyes roved across the many bold, gleaming cruisers lining the launch bay. The pad in front of him stood empty, as did several others, but most of the fleet was standing before him. Sometimes he looked on them with pride, honoured to be their commander.

Today wasn’t a day for pride.

"Hey, Dad, whatcha doin’?"

Nebula groaned softly when he heard the voice. _Just what I need right now_. "What do you want, XL?"

The little robot looked up at him innocently. "I was delivering some papers to the LGMs and I saw you. So what _are_ you doin’ here?"

"Waiting for Team Lightyear to get back."

"Ooh! Are you waiting for XR so we can do some fun family bonding thing together?"

"Wha—? No!" The commander put his face in his palm. "Of course not! I’m waiting for Buzz to get here because I gotta talk to him."

XL shrugged. "Aw, okay, whatever, man." Turning away, he was about to leave when he suddenly paused. "Hey, is somethin’ wrong, Dad? You look kinda worried."

The concerned eyes staring up at him made Nebula cringe. Why did those annoying little robots have to be so... well, he didn’t want to say endearing, but that was the best word for it. He didn’t want to look at XL’s face or answer his innocent question right then. What could he say to him? If he told him the truth, it would just frighten him. "I’m fine," he barked. "Mind your own business! Don’t you have work to do?"

"Yeah, okay, I’ll get right on it, Dad!" XL saluted. "And remember, if there’s ever anything botherin’ ya, you can tell me! That’s what families are for!"

"Beat it!"

Once XL was gone, Nebula sighed and leaned against the railing of the bridge. He didn’t know why he put up with those robots. XR was bad enough, but now he had XL following him around the station all the time, trying to rope him into all kinds of "bonding activities", as if he was trying to make up for the years they’d spent apart. All he’d ever done was sign their work orders—and in XR’s case he hadn’t even done it willingly—yet they seemed to think the three of them were some kind of family! They were robots, for pete’s sake! Robots didn’t have families. They were just machines.

If he had any family, it was the Rangers under his command. For all his bark and bluster, he loved them like they were his children. _Even XR,_ he thought ironically. And now his family was under threat. Well, he wouldn’t stand for it.

"All personnel clear the launch bay," a voice called over the speakers.

Nebula shuffled across the catwalk, his pegleg clinking on the metal floor. The airlock slid closed behind him and he heard mission control give 42 permission to land. Buzz had already checked in a few hours before, relaying what had happened on the outer rim, so Nebula knew what to expect. It was _his_ news that was going to shock Buzz.

"All personnel may return to the launch bay."

Nebula marched back in. A battle-scarred 42 rested precariously on the pad. Already a horde of LGMs were rushing forward, tsking in dismay and shaking their heads to each other as they eyed it. Nebula was confident however they’d have it good as new again in no time.

The team emerged from docking pad, the loud echo of their footsteps filling the silence. Coming to a standstill in front of the commander, Buzz saluted smartly. "Team Lightyear reporting in, sir."

Nebula nodded. "As you were. Buzz—"

"One moment, Commander." Buzz turned to the LGMs. "We found one survivor out there—an autopilot. We’ve got him hooked up to the computer in the science bay but he needs serious repair work. See that he’s taken care of." Once the little green men had scampered off, he returned his gaze to Nebula. "Yes, sir?"

"We’ve got big trouble." Nebula sighed. "Something happened while you were away."

"Sir?"

He took a deep breath. "It’s Zurg. The bucket-head decided to make a strike against the Galactic Alliance."

"What? Where?" Buzz’s eyes narrowed. "I knew this would happen. But don’t you worry, Commander, we’ll stop him!"

"It’s not that simple." Looking first at Buzz, then at his nervous teammates assembled next to him, Nebula sighed again. "He hit Rhizome. We lost contact with them right before it happened, so we sent Crockett out to see what was going on. He reported in an hour ago. It seems Zurg took a small fleet out to Rhizome and flattened their defenses, and then planted some of his people down there to take charge after the Rhizomians surrendered. Rocket had to leave before he got a good look ‘cause Zurg had spotted him, but he says the damage is pretty bad. We’ve still got no clue how many casualties there are." _And here comes the kicker._ "According to our latest intel, Zurg’s now moved on to Verdentia with more ships and done the same thing. Luckily, they surrendered without putting up a fight, so no one was hurt, but it looks like this is just the beginning. We’ve got a full scale invasion on our hands."

The four Rangers stared at him, dumbfounded. Buzz was the first to speak. "We’re not going to let him get away with this, are we? We have to drive him back to his evil little corner of space and free those planets!"

"I don’t think you understand, Buzz," said Nebula, putting his hand on Buzz’s shoulder. "You can’t just jet out there and take him on by yourself. He’s massed a huge fleet, and according to our sources near Verdentia new ships keep pouring in from the Zeta Quadrant to join him. We’re gonna make a stand, but we gotta plan it out very carefully otherwise it’s just one big recipe for disaster. All our forces will need to be there."

Buzz nodded reluctantly. "Understood, Commander. When do we do this?" Nebula could see the anger burning in his eyes. If there was one thing that got Buzz riled—sometimes to dangerous levels—it was Zurg.

"We’re gonna hold a briefing in half an hour to discuss our strategy. The president has authorised me to take whatever course of action I deem necessary to deal with the threat."

* * *

Beauty was deceptive. When you walked through a world that was bright and glistening and beautiful, it was easy to forget the ugly horrors of life.

At first the peace had been jarring after a lifetime of struggles, but hours in the company of so many cheery young beings and a man who had suffered even more than she had and yet somehow found happiness gave rise to long-forgotten feelings of hope within her.

She grew complacent.

The news had come in over the holovision, though the look in Nick’s eyes as he watched Brent Starkisser make the announcement led her to suspect he’d sensed it already. All chatter amongst the ElfGMs died when the newsman spoke.

Zurg had invaded one of the galaxy’s major planets, Rhizome.

It had begun.

Standing now with her face to the gentle wind and her feet sunk deep in the snow, she let the emptiness fill her soul again, where contentment had been threatening to reign just a short time before. In front of her lay the blackness of space, held back only by the glass dome surrounding the little world Nick had created. Stars were twinkling outside. It seemed _too_ peaceful now—it should’ve been more like the portentous, blood-coloured twilight she’d faced so many years before, on the eve of the great civil war. At least that had been appropriate. The feeling of dread was the same, though.

She’d failed her empress in that war, and she was failing her again, even though the woman had been in her grave for two centuries. _I made a promise to her..._ And now she could feel that promise slipping from her hands, blown away by the winds. The longer she waited, the harder it would be to keep. Something had to be done. But she was alone.

Despite all the help and comfort he offered, Nick still refused to join her in battle. He would do anything else she asked, he’d told her, but not that. And who else could she turn to in this galaxy full of strangers? Through her research, she’d learned who all the major players were, but none of them would help her. If she’d arrived a little earlier, perhaps she could’ve appealed to a dictator named Gravitina, self-titled mistress of mass and all of its attraction. Now there was a woman the empress would have loved—powerful, fiery, the ruler of small solar system with ambitions to expand still further. But the woman now languished in a Galactic Alliance prison, and her planet’s rule had returned to its people.

There were other powers she had considered turning to—the Raenoks, the Valkyrans, even the Tangeans when she learned how opposed they’d been to Alliance membership—but each one was rejected in turn the more she learned. They would care nothing for her plight and most of them wouldn’t hesitate to betray her the moment it suited them. No, she needed someone strong but honourable. Someone who would listen to her and understand why she needed to do this. Her thoughts returned to the man Nick had mentioned, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear. He was by all accounts a just man, and his skills were unsurpassed. He was the one major obstacle in Zurg’s path, the reason the emperor had failed so many times. At first glance, he seemed promising. But the man was utterly devoted to his alliance, and the feud that existed between him and Zurg was too strong for her to hope to bring him around to her way of thinking.

_I have to look elsewhere_.

There was a soft crunching of the snow behind her. She pulled her stiff frame around, and her eyes met the solemn face of her host. "It’s a bit nippy out here," said Nick, offering her a mug of cocoa, the steam rising from it in thick plumes.

"Thank you." She bowed her head and accepted the drink, cradling it against her cold hands. There was silence as she sipped it.

"We’re going to miss you, you know," Nick said at last.

She studied him. "You think I’m leaving?"

"Well you are, aren’t you?"

"Yes," she nodded with a sigh. "I must."

"Where will you go?"

"I don’t know. To find someone, perhaps. But I can’t stay—I must do something while I have the chance."

His hand touched her stooped shoulder. "I’d help you if I could, believe me. I don’t want to see this happen any more than you do. But I can’t risk making things worse. If that happened, if I— Well, I couldn’t live with that. Not again."

"I understand."

"But _you_ still have the chance to make a difference. You mock my belief," he chuckled quietly, "but I believe in you. You’ll find a way, somehow. Don’t give up, whatever you do, and you’ll make it through in the end."

She would have smiled if the cold hadn’t numbed her face (or perhaps age had done it, and so many years of sorrow—she didn’t know). "May the universe let your words be true."

"I know they are." He patted her shoulder. "The ElfGMs are getting your ship ready for departure. You can leave as soon as you like. I want be selfish and ask you to stay a little longer, but you’d just say no and then I’d be disappointed, so I won’t ask. I will wish you luck, though, and you know you can always come back here whenever you need to."

"Thank you." The words were heartfelt. She wondered how long it had been since someone had treated her with such genuine kindness. "I will leave within the hour. Not a moment can be spared."

He nodded and they sank into silence.

_But where will I go_ , the question continued to plague her, _and what will I do?_ Once she left the safety of North Polaris, she would be on her own again in a vast, pitiless galaxy, and belief alone seemed poor fare to sustain her. She wondered if she had any hope of success.

She looked up thoughtfully, an idea suddenly occurring to her. "I have one last thing I must ask of you," she told Nick. "Hopefully it will not be necessary, but just in case..."

* * *

Mira slipped into her chair, glancing at her teammates. Booster’s ears were drooping sadly and XR fidgeted in his seat, drumming his fingers anxiously on the briefing table. Buzz, on the other hand, merely looked righteously indignant. The other Space Rangers who were gathered around the table wore a mix of confusion and nervousness on their faces. Nebula stood up to address them.

"Okay, people, I don’t need to tell you why we’re here. By now you’ve all heard about the attack on Rhizome and Verdentia, so I’ll cut to the chase. We need to stop Zurg from getting any further." The commander folded his arms. "It’s not clear yet how far he plans to advance, but knowing the bucket-head, he’ll probably want to go all the way. That’s right, I think he has his sights on Capital Planet. Well, we’re not gonna let him get that far! I’m calling in every available cruiser, and I need to count on all you Rangers to give me everything you’ve got when we go out there to fight him." He straightened and swept his eyes over the group. "Somewhere along Zurg’s path, we’re going to make a stand and either send him scurrying back to the Zeta Quadrant with his tail between his legs, or we’re gonna take him down for good. It ain’t gonna be easy, and it’s entirely possible we might lose a ship or two, but it’s gotta be done."

There was silence from the rest of the room. Mira twirled a finger through her hair nervously. Zurg had attacked the Galactic Alliance directly before, like when he stranded Buzz in the alternate universe and teamed up with the evil Buzz, but as bad as that was, it was just one ship—the Dreadnought. He’d never hit them with all his forces before.

Somehow, as dangerous as Zurg was, deep down Mira had never taken him all that seriously. How _could_ you take someone seriously when they admitted to having a troll doll collection? Sure, he’d had a few good ideas, but on the whole he seemed like a delusional old fool who was no match for Buzz’s skill and intelligence. Now that she thought about it, she realised that with all his resources, Zurg probably could have taken over the galaxy several times over if he’d tried hard enough. Instead, he wasted his time growing evil vegetables and stealing Buzz’s newspaper. He _had_ been a real threat on a few occasions, but she’d never really doubted her team could overcome him.

Suddenly, all that had changed. He wasn’t fooling around anymore, and he was finally taking advantage of the resources he had at his disposal. The only other time she’d been this frightened of him was when he’d taken control of the galaxy with the Uni-mind.

"So where are we going to make this stand?" Ranger Turner spoke up. Her team had just been called back from Senate guard duty and she still wore the tired look of someone forced to listen to a dozen diplomats whining and arguing for several hours. "It should be somewhere that gives _us_ the advantage."

Nebula nodded. "And it’s gotta be ahead of Trade World, ‘cause with news of the invasion spreading, lots of folks near Rhizome and Verdentia are evacuating and heading to Trade World to wait this out, and we can’t let Zurg get to them. We gotta keep the people of the galaxy safe. I don’t want civilians getting hurt."

Trade World... that was so close to Tangea. Mira shuddered, hoping Zurg wouldn’t get anywhere near that sector. He’d tried to invade her planet once before, and she had no wish to see him do so again. Tangea would never be able to fend off a full-scale attack.

Buzz rose from his seat. "What about Jo-Ad?" There was a low gasp from Booster. "It’s situated closer to Rhizome than Trade World, and the spaceways around it aren’t heavily trafficked, which lessens the possibility of civilians being caught in the crossfire. And since it’s binary star system," he added, "Zurg’s fleet will have less room to maneuver if they want to avoid getting caught in either of the stars’ gravity fields."

"Yes, but so will we," pointed out XR.

"Which is why it’s fortunate we have a Jo-Adian on our team." Buzz circled round the table and patted an apprehensive Booster on the back. "Booster here can gives us the ins and outs of the Jo-Adian system, so we’ll know exactly how to get around and what features of the system we can use to our advantage—good hiding places, hazards we can lure Zurg’s ships into, that kind of thing."

Booster gulped, and Mira looked at him sympathetically, knowing how he must feel. She was frightened by the mere _possibility_ of Zurg’s fleet getting close to her home planet.

"B-but, Buzz," said Booster, "is-isn’t there somewhere else we can do this? I don’t want anything to happen to Jo-Ad!"

"And it won’t," assured Buzz. "We’ll drive Zurg off before he gets anywhere near your world."

"I-I don’t like it," Booster whimpered. "But... I guess you know best, Buzz."

Buzz turned to Nebula. "What do you think, sir?"

"Sounds like our best choice," Nebula nodded. "I’ll start making preparations."

The briefing went on awhile longer, with topics ranging from strategy to the strengths and weaknesses of Zurg’s ships being debated, until at last they’d exhausted every point of discussion and Nebula dismissed them. Mira rose with XR and Booster, following them out, while Buzz remained with Nebula in the briefing room, apparently not done talking yet. Mira knew the two men would probably spend a few more hours sharing their concerns with each other, even though everyone else had gone. There was a special trust and respect between them, and she suspected they could talk about things together that they preferred not to share with the other Rangers. She envied their relationship—they weren’t even related, yet they got on better than she did with her own father.

"So... you sure you’re okay with this?" she asked Booster as the trio walked down the hall.

The Jo-Adian shrugged, wrapping his arms around himself. "I dunno, I... I’m worried... but I trust Buzz. If he thinks it’s a good idea, it probably is. I-I just hope everything will be okay." He bit his lip. "I don’t want anything to happen to my family."

"I’m sure they’ll be fine," said Mira, touching his arm. "Your parents are some of the toughest people I’ve met. And Buzz says we won’t let Zurg get anywhere near Jo-Ad."

"‘Buzz says this’ and ‘Buzz says that’—we’re putting an awful lot of faith in one guy, don’t you think?" XR received glares from his teammates. "What? I’m just sayin’. Nobody’s perfect, you know."

Mira rolled her eyes and chose to ignore him. "Look, why don’t you guys get some rest? We’ve all been working way too hard lately, and with this big battle coming up, I think we could use a little time to relax. I’m going to my quarters."

"Not a bad idea. I think I’ll do some recharging in the science bay," nodded XR. Booster just shrugged and didn’t answer, still looking uneasy. He probably wouldn’t be able to sleep.

"Okay. I’ll see you later, guys." Leaving them behind, Mira marched through the halls until she reached her quarters, and flopped gratefully onto her bed once she was inside. Ever since the president’s death, she’d often found herself working all through the night and only napping occasionally during the day. She knew she couldn’t go on like this forever, but it would be awhile before she had the luxury of a full night’s rest again. _I’ll just have to snatch sleep where I can._

Nestling under the soft covers, she wrapped her arms around the pillow and shut her eyes. Commander Nebula had planned for the stand at Jo-Ad to take place the next day, so she figured she had until morning to rest, then it would be time to get ready and head out. Not much time.

She wondered what the battle would be like. Team Lightyear had taken part in many fights with Zurg and other hostile forces during the four years they’d been together, but never anything on this scale, or with stakes so high. The commander seemed to think it would be pretty risky, and had warned there might be casualties amongst their own people. She preferred not to take that view—the Space Rangers always came out on top, didn’t they? Even in this new, dangerous state Zurg seemed to be in, he was still no match for the forces of good. Buzz always taught her that in the end, no matter what happened, evil never won. That would apply to this battle, just like it had to all the others. It had to, right?

_It might even be fun_ , she mused, thinking of the thrill of the fight. That feeling of tension, having to rely on your wits, while your heart pounded and adrenaline rushed through your body—it never grew old. The life of a Ranger was all one big adventure, and at the end of the day you came home safely and congratulated yourselves over milkshakes at Cosmo’s. This might be a little tougher than their usual missions, but she had no doubt the end result would be the same. _Maybe we’ll even be able to finally capture Zurg._ Granted, that was a longshot at best, as Zurg was particularly good at slipping from their grasp, but the possibility existed.

She snuggled deeper into the bed, sighing softly as sleep began to overtake her. Despite the anxiety she felt, her spirits were far from dampened, and she even found herself looking forward to the next day. It presented a chance to prove herself once and for all as an exceptional Space Ranger, and it promised adventure and excitement. The only thing that bothered her was Booster. He seemed so frightened by the choice of Jo-Ad as the battle site. She felt bad for him.

_It’ll be alright,_ she decided. _Buzz knows what he’s doing, and the commander thinks it’s a good idea. We’ll kick Zurg’s purple skirt back to the Zeta Quadrant and then everything will go right back to the way it should be._ Rhizome and Verdentia would be freed, and there’d be no more talk of invasions or anything like that.

Only... things never really _could_ go back to the way they were, could they? Not with the president dead and an unknown number of Rhizomians dead as well.

She grimaced. _I don’t want to think about that_. Better to leave unpleasant thoughts like that for later, when they had to face those realities. They weren’t her problems anyway—those sorts of things would be dealt with by the leaders of the Galactic Alliance. She was just a humble Space Ranger.

Letting her mind go blank, she slowly drifted into a deep slumber, finally getting some much needed rest.

 


	13. Chapter 12

Shards of light were rippling across the pool as Warp pushed open the glass doors leading to the shaded patio. He passed rows of pots and statues lining the terrace, all part of his estate’s lush decor. The distant sound of flowing water issued from the fountain. Sighing deeply, he inhaled the savoury aromas of the breakfast laid out on the table and took a seat. One of the servant girls—a gorgeous Elferian whose name he had trouble remembering—waited beside the table to serve the meal. He nodded to her and she lifted a pitcher, pouring fruit juice into a tall glass. He sipped it absently and poked at the food on his plate without eating anything, his appetite leaving him as he reflected on what had happened.

His fingers clenched around the fork. Yeah, it was petty, but he was still mad he’d had to hear about the Rhizomian attack on the news instead of straight from Zurg. The emperor hadn’t breathed a word of his plans to him—it’d been a total shock when Warp had heard the broadcast!

Seeing him frown, the girl moved quickly around the table and came behind him, running her hands over his tense shoulders. He waved her away. For once he wasn’t in the mood for a neck rub. The girl dropped her hands to her sides and stalked off, her nose held high as if she’d been insulted. Warp rubbed his temples. He’d have to replace her soon—her pouty attitude had seemed charming at first, but now it was getting on his nerves. A lot of things were getting on his nerves.

Downing the rest of his glass and shoving a warm muffin in his mouth, he folded out the morning paper. The headline scrolling across the top was about the attack, of course, and the few articles that didn’t mention it talked about the president’s death instead. With a groan he dropped the paper, not even bothering to check the sports scores. There was no escaping his work, was there?

And yet, despite being on the side that had orchestrated the attack, he felt just as much an outsider to the situation as everyone else. He was used to Zurg keeping a few secrets, but he’d never been so completely out of the loop before. It bugged him and made him feel just a little... offended. _Doesn’t Zurg trust me with the big stuff anymore?_

After so many years working for Zurg, he thought they’d reached an understanding. He either did his job well and raked in the dough, or he screwed up and Zurg got to yell imaginative insults at him. Simple as that. Sometimes he’d try to ditch work, especially when Zurg was being a bore, but Zurg always caught him in the end and chewed him out in a way that reminded him a little too much of a nagging mother ( _now there’s a disturbing thought,_ he mused). But they always knew where they stood with each other. None of this secretive crap going on behind his back.

Maybe, if it had just been Rhizome, he wouldn’t have been so mad. Just one planet, right? No big deal. But it _wasn’t_ just Rhizome—Zurg was invading the whole blasted Galactic Alliance! And this wasn’t like his previous plots, which were usually more cautious. It was an all or nothing kind of scheme. By putting his whole fleet out there, Zurg would either win control of the entire galaxy, or he would lose _everything_.

 _The least he could’ve done was tell me_.

Warp picked at the fried Vixian eggs on his plate. He wished he felt hungry. Old Gerra, the Sperlingian battleaxe who ran the household for him, had whipped up a meal fit for a prince, just like she always did, and it seemed a shame to let it go to waste. He looked down at it again, but the heaps of steaming food spread on the table failed to tempt him. Maybe he’d let the serving girls have it all—a special treat, he’d tell them. A little generosity once in awhile never hurt.

He pushed back the chair. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he rose and pulled open the doors, entering the opulent mansion. The Elferian girl was reclining on a plush sofa, contemplating her fingernails. Her eyes flicked in his direction when he walked in.

"Tell the others the food’s theirs if they want it," Warp shrugged. "I’m not hungry. You girls dig in. It’s a day to celebrate—Zurg’s gonna kick some Ranger butt at Jo-Ad."

The girl nodded, her face losing its practised haughty look when she heard those last words. She left to find the other girls, her bright eyes widening with something—fear? Guilt?

 _Figures_ , he thought. _Her planet’s part of the Galactic Alliance, so I guess this isn’t good news for her._ He chuckled grimly. The girl worked for a man whose many crimes were a matter of public record, and only _now_ her conscience was bothering her?

As he climbed the stairs to his room so he could change out of his bathrobe, he wondered idly what it would be like if he had company on his moon besides his staff... people who actually cared about him and weren’t just there to pick up a paycheck. With just himself and the servants to fill the many rooms, the place felt empty. He’d always known a family was out of the question—he liked kids but it just wasn’t a good idea, especially considering his line of work—but a few friends would’ve been nice. He remembered the parties he’d held with the old gang, and he missed that feeling of companionship. _All I’ve got now are a few girls who only tolerate me because I pay well, and a nagging evil emperor with anger management issues._

He reached his room and began hunting through his closet for some clothes. He hadn’t gotten very far before there was a beep from the corner vidscreen. A loud sigh slipped through Warp’s gritted teeth when he saw the name flashing on the monitor. Marching over, he hit the answer button and flopped on the wide bed.

Zurg’s face fizzled onto the screen, more sneering the usual. "Darkmatter."

"Zurg." Kicking off his slippers, Warp rummaged under the bed for his boots. He barely glanced at the emperor.

"That’s _Evil Emperor_ Zurg to you, in case you’ve forgotten."

Ouch. Someone seemed to be PMSy that morning. Finding the boots and pulling them on, Warp nodded his head with as much false sincerity as he could be bothered to muster. "Right, sorry. Evil emperor, gotcha. So what’s up, Z?"

"I want you to leave at once and join my fleet. I’m sending you our coordinates now. There’s a matter I must discuss with you. Don’t be late." And just like that, Zurg cut the feed.

Shutting his eyes, Warp dropped against the soft pillows, running a hand through his hair. No apology from Zurg for not bringing him in sooner, no explanation of what he wanted, not even a goodbye. _Did I really expect any different?_ Heaving himself back up, he returned to the closet. _I’d better get ready._

* * *

Proud rows of Space Rangers were assembled in the launch bay, standing to attention as Buzz entered. Behind them, LGMs were prepping the cruisers for launch. The only sound that greeted Buzz’s ears was the low, background hum of the station and the clank of his own boots on the catwalk. The Rangers around him were silent, barely even daring to breathe as they stood together stiffly, their heads held high.

Buzz came to a halt in front of the group, mentally going over the speech he’d prepared for the occasion. When he’d suggested this plan at the briefing, he’d been entirely convinced of its success. Now that the moment of battle was drawing near, he felt less confident. Even with all their star cruisers, Zurg’s fleet was still more than a match for them, and it was anyone’s guess what would happen when the two forces collided.

 _Good will triumph as always_ , he told himself. _That’s the only possibility._ No matter how powerful he was, Zurg wouldn’t—he _couldn’t_ —succeed. Evil never won. Buzz was a down-to-earth kind of guy who didn’t believe in much, but he did believe in that.

"Fellow Space Rangers," he addressed the group. "Today we confront the gravest threat Star Command has ever faced. Zurg has launched a full-scale invasion of the Galactic Alliance, and has already occupied Rhizome, Verdentia, and several other planets that had the misfortune to be in his path. Orders have been given to the governments of all worlds lying between Jo-Ad and Zurg to stand down and let him pass through without incident. We can free those worlds later, once Zurg’s been driven back to Planet Z. The fight isn’t up to them—it’s up to us." He took a deep breath. "As you know, we’re going to make our stand at Jo-Ad. We can’t let Zurg get any further into Alliance territory—we have to put an end to this invasion right now. That’s why it’s vital that we let none of his ships get through our blockade. Knowing Zurg, he won’t back down easily—he’ll put up quite a fight, and it could get rough out there. You’ve all got to stay strong. You’re doing this for the Galactic Alliance, and for the freedom of everyone within that alliance. Zurg must be stopped at all costs!"

The Space Rangers nodded, saluting and yelling in agreement, and as his gaze rested on them, Buzz felt his assurance returning. Hadn’t they defeated Zurg before when the odds were against them? Why would things be any different now? "Alright, people, let’s do this. Everyone to the cruisers!"

The group dispersed, teams running in different directions as they all headed for their ships. Mira, Booster, and XR separated from the rest and joined Buzz as he strolled towards 42. "You think we can beat him?" Mira asked.

Buzz nodded. "Failure isn’t an option, Ranger. We can’t let Zurg get through."

"That doesn’t mean we’ll be able to stop him," XR pointed out. "It just means it’ll be catastrophic if we don’t."

"It _means_ we won’t _let_ him get through, no matter what. The power of good is on our side."

Mira ran a hand through her hair, looking more hopeful than her robotic teammate. "Okay, assuming we stop Zurg, which we will, what are the chances of bringing him in once and for all? I mean, we don’t want him trying something like this again, right?"

Finally capturing Zurg. Ending his reign of evil and bringing him to justice. That had been Buzz’s goal ever since he joined the Space Rangers, and he would give anything to see it accomplished. There had been moments when he’d come close, but something always happened to snatch Zurg away from him. "I don’t know, Mira," he answered, stroking his chin. "Driving him back is our top priority, but if we could take him down too..."

They reached the star cruiser, and the team clambered up the ladder and inside. Buzz settled in his seat, buckling himself in and switching on all the systems. Just from looking at it, no one could have guessed what a state 42 had been in the day before when they’d returned to Star Command from the galactic frontier. The LGMs must have worked all night to get it in tiptop shape again. Even the burn marks on the hull had been painted over, leaving the ship as sparkly clean as ever.

Buzz patted the dashboard in front of him affectionately. 42 had been his ship from day one—it’d been assigned to him after he graduated from the Academy. He’d had no partner alongside him then, so the ship felt very much like it belonged to him and him alone. Later, after he’d urged Star Command to institute a regulation requiring Rangers to have backup, he’d been promoted to captain and partnered with Warp, Ty, and Rocket, and they’d shared the ship with him. 42 had carried them safely through many an adventure. Like Star Command, it was more of a home to him than his house on Capital Planet would ever be. He knew its every quirk, from the slightly faulty pressure dial on his left to the squeak of the floor panels in engineering. The ship had been threatened with decommissioning a few times—it really was past it’s prime, even Buzz admitted—but he always fought to keep it in service. A few patches here, an upgrade there, the occasional complete reassembly after a nasty explosion, and it would do the job. There was no ship he’d rather go into battle with than good old 42.

Commander Nebula’s voice came in over the comm. "Star cruisers, you’re cleared for launch. Good luck out there, and make sure you all get your hides back here in one piece. That’s an order!"

"Roger, Commander." Buzz began the launch sequence. "We won’t let you down." He pushed the thrust lever forward, and the engines fired up. "To infinity... and beyond!"

* * *

It was a surreal journey to Zurg’s fleet. Warp travelled the route Zurg’s forces had already blazed through, struck silent by the wake of devastation the emperor had left. Only Rhizome had actually been harmed—and he was chilled by the flattened cities, visible even from space—but all around a choking terror gripped the sector. Every world he passed was occupied by smaller forces which had been left behind to keep the population in check, and no other ships were allowed to travel the spaceways. It was the kind of conquest and domination Zurg had often talked about but never before achieved.

When he did reach the fleet, even he was awed by its magnitude. It stretched out in a purple sea, ranging from small fighters to mid-sized warships. Warp wondered how long Zurg had been building it—he knew Zurg’s forces were extensive, but he’d had no idea there were _this_ many ships. He shook his head. _Those Rangers don’t stand a chance._

The Dreadnought was stationed at the centre of the fleet, looming large and ominous above Warp’s own much smaller ship. He flew up to the huge landing bay door at the top of the vessel and exchanged a few words with the Grubs on the flight control deck. The door rolled open and he flew in. Unclipping his seatbelt (which, he suddenly realised, he only wore out of habit after the long lectures Buzz had drilled into him on flight safety a lifetime ago), he opened his ship’s hatch and jumped out.

Emerging inside the dark, dreary docking bay, Warp strode off through familiar corridors and soon reached the bridge. He entered cautiously and approached the throne that overhung the room, from which Zurg could hover over his minions like a bird of prey above a carcass. "Evil Emperor." Warp bowed, judging that humility was key to keeping Zurg appeased. "You sent for me?" Even with his head down, he could tell those burning red eyes were on him.

"Yes, Darkmatter." The voice sounded the same as it always did, but Warp wasn’t fooled. He knew he wasn’t dealing with the Zurg he used to know. Something had changed. "I thought it was time I brought you in."

 _I’ll say._ "Do you want me to lead the fight in the Jo-Adian system?" Normally he wouldn’t have been so eager to enter the ring with Star Command, but after being reassured by the size of Zurg’s fleet, he was just itching to take out some of his recent frustration on a few hapless Rangers.

"No." Zurg shook his head, almost chortling with amusement. " _I_ will engage Star Command. I have something else in mind for you, Darkmatter."

"Okay..." _That doesn’t sound promising._ Warp wondered, not for the first time, why he’d ever gotten involved with someone like Zurg. Dealing with the emperor was like sticking your head in a crater viper’s mouth and hoping it wasn’t hungry. Then again, maybe that was why he’d done it. When he was younger, the idea of working as a double agent for the galaxy’s most wanted criminal had sounded exciting. Now it was just giving him grey hairs.

Zurg stood up, brushing lint off his cape. "Come, we must discuss this in private. I have a special job for you to take care of."

Warp followed as Zurg rose from the throne, feeling like a moozle being led to the slaughter.

* * *

He’d forgotten how much he missed his home. Booster stared out the window at the familiar sphere hanging in space before them. Jo-Ad had its own distinct beauty, from the flat fields of bunzels that bent and rustled in the wind to the dry, gusty plains and deep valleys that covered many parts of the planet. Viewed from above, it lost none of its charm. He remembered the first time he’d seen it from space—he was still a young boy, on a trip to deliver that year’s bunzel harvest to other parts of the quadrant with his father. The planet was just as breathtaking now as it had been then, but he couldn’t find the same joy as he gazed at it. Soon Zurg would arrive, and the fight would break out. Despite Buzz’s promises, fear continued to curl its cold tendrils around his heart. He could be brave when he was defending other people and other worlds, but when it was his own he just felt weak and empty.

He’d just spent several hours giving the other Rangers a tour of the solar system, explaining which regions were safe and which they should avoid. Seeing all those familiar sights didn’t help his homesickness any, nor did it quell his fears. His planet had already played host to Zurg twice—when the emperor had tried to invade with his Mega Hornet, and when he’d hidden there to mutate the vegetables. Booster didn’t want to see him visit a third time.

"Buzz," he said softly.

"Yes, Booster?" The older Ranger glanced in his direction.

"Can I... can I call my parents? I want to talk to them..."

Buzz frowned. "The Munchappers don’t have a secure comm line—we can’t be sure Zurg won’t be able to monitor the transmission."

"I won’t say anything about our plans, Buzz," Booster quickly assured him. "I-I just want to talk to them before the fight."

"I don’t know..."

Mira touched Buzz’s arm. "Come on, one little call won’t hurt," she said gently. "Let Booster talk to them. It’ll make him feel better." She turned to Booster. "Won’t it, big guy?"

Nodding, Booster looked hopefully at his captain. "Please?"

"Alright." Buzz shrugged. "Just be careful what you say and keep it short."

"Thanks, Buzz!" Saluting gratefully, Booster rushed to the recreation room and turned on the communications unit located on the wall. Entering the code that linked to his family’s vidphone line, he drummed his fingers on one of the counters and waited for them to respond. His last visit to the farm had been several months before, for the annual bunzel harvest. Now he suddenly found himself missing the place greatly, and missing his family even more. Ma, Pa, Gramps... and even Buster. Buster was like family too. Despite all that had gone wrong between them, he still cared for Buster like a brother. He couldn’t let anything happen to the four of them.

"Hello?" The screen flickered, then a face appeared on it. "Booster? Hey, Ma, it’s Booster!"

Smiling, Booster waved to his father and then his mother when she arrived next to him. "Hey, Pa! Hey, Ma! I, uh, I just wanted to see how you were."

"Everyone’s fine, Boost. We’ve been busy—spent most of the morning planting the seeds for next year’s totama crop," Pa told him. "Hey, is it true Zurg’s coming this way? And that Star Command’s got a fleet in orbit to stop him?"

Booster cringed. "Um, listen, Pa, I really can’t talk about that—"

"Right, I’ve got it—official Ranger business." Pa grinned knowingly. "Don’t worry, we understand. Anyway, I know you’ll make us proud out there!"

Ma looked less excited than her husband. "Be careful, Booster," she warned. "Stay out of danger—I want you home safe and sound afterwards for a slice of bunzelberry pie."

"Aw, Ma, danger’s part of the job for a Space Ranger," chided Pa. "Booster knows how to take care of himself, don’t you, boy?"

"Yeah..." Booster shifted nervously. "Um... you stay out of danger too, please? I-I don’t think anything will happen—we’re not going to let Zurg get close to Jo-Ad—but just in case something _does_ happen, l-like Zurg getting forces onto the ground... well, if that happens, keep safe. Please don’t try to do anything heroic, Pa." He saw his father frown, and offered a weak smile. "I know you want to act like a Ranger too, b-but you’re not, and I love you and I don’t want you to get hurt."

Ma smiled back, taking hold of her husband’s hand. "I’ll keep him out of trouble, Boostie—I promise."

Still looking displeased, Pa nodded reluctantly. "We’ll leave the Ranger stuff to you Rangers."

"Thank you." Booster sighed in relief. "Y-you know, there’s still time for you to evacuate, if you want... You could take Gramps and Buster and get away from here till the fighting’s over..."

This time Ma and Pa were in agreement, and shook their heads in unison. "We’re not leaving the farm," said Pa. "We’ll stay, for better or worse."

Ma nodded. "If we let that evil emperor drive us away from our home, then he’s already won."

Sighing, Booster shrugged in acceptance. "Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just want so bad for you to be safe." He stood up. "I love you. I-I’ll see you later."

"We’ll be waiting." Ma managed a smile. "We love you too."

"Bye, son."

"Goodbye." Booster turned off the screen and sniffed as he sank into one of the chairs.

* * *

Back and forth, back and forth. XR paced around his station, glancing occasionally at the readouts but barely taking them in. The waiting was starting to get to him. Logically, he knew Zurg would arrive soon enough and he should enjoy the few moments of peace they had left, but he was starting to wish Zurg would just get there already so they could get it over with.

He’d already worked out in his head how the battle would progress. Star Command would win, of course—even in his cynical mind, that was a given—but it wouldn’t be an easy fight, and sooner or later a number of Rangers would probably have to be sent into space to fight one-on-one with the attacking Hornets. He’d be one of those Rangers, that much was certain. Even to Buzz, the X in his name often stood for expendable, so it was only natural he’d be sent to the front lines. Why waste organic life when you could just send out a robot who could be put back together if he were hurt, right?

It was all perfectly sensible and he couldn’t argue with it, but that wouldn’t make it hurt any less when he was inevitably destroyed on the battlefield. Oh, sure, they’d repair him when the fight was over—assuming he was repairable, a morbid voice within him added—and then everything would go back to status quo... But that didn’t mean he was looking forward to it.

Mira seemed to feel the opposite, he noted, stopping his pacing to observe her. The Tangean was fidgeting in her seat, playing with her hair and repeatedly glancing out the window. She seemed almost excited by the whole affair—even more so than Buzz, who usually relished the chance to go up against Zurg.

Buzz was engrossed in the Space Ranger Mission Manual, reading though the section on interstellar engagements, though XR suspected the man had probably written at least half of that section himself. Still, by-the-book Lightyear wasn’t going to take the chance he might somehow break some little regulation in the manual. As if it mattered. XR shook his head in amusement, though he had to admit, Buzz was nothing if not thorough. Annoyingly so, but thorough all the same. His job was his life.

"Buzz," Mira suddenly spoke up. "Do you think I could take the shuttle out when the fighting starts? Every ship helps, and even with its limited weapons, the shuttle—"

Lowering the manual, Buzz gave the Tangean a disapproving look that rivalled the one he’d given XR on Morph. "No."

"But—"

"It’s too dangerous," he stopped her. XR had to agree with the skipper on that one—what was Mira thinking? "The shuttle would be blasted to atoms the minute it left 42."

Mira frowned, folding her arms. "I’m a good pilot, I could dodge the enemy fire. I’d be careful. Buzz, please?"

"Are you crazy?" XR decided to join the conversation. "You could get killed out there!"

"XR’s right. The answer’s no—and that’s final, Princess," Buzz added, seeing she was about to protest again. "I want all of us to make it out of this safely."

The doors behind them swirled open, and Booster stepped in. "I’m done now," he told them. "I was able to get through to my family, and we talked a bit."

"And how are the ol’ Munchappers?" XR asked.

"They’re okay." Booster didn’t seem to be in the mood for conversation.

Silence settled over the bridge, and XR went back to his station. Part of him wanted to make some smart remark to lighten the mood, but he sensed it wasn’t the right time. Tension was beginning to mount as the estimated time of Zurg’s arrival drew nearer. He could see the anxiety shining in Booster’s eyes, and despite her apparent enthusiasm, even Mira was on edge. Only Buzz appeared calm and collected, and XR wondered how much of that was real and how much was just a facade. Then again, this _was_ Buzz Lightyear they were talking about—the robot wouldn’t have been surprised if Buzz didn’t experience fear like normal people did.

"Uh... Buzz..." Booster broke the silence. "I’m getting some energy signatures on my scanner. They’re moving in fast!"

Buzz narrowed his eyes. "I see them, Booster."

The black expanse of space lit up as dozens upon dozens of ships dropped out of hyperdrive in front of them in white flashes of light, all bearing the yellow Z insignia of the Evil Emperor Zurg. XR gulped and moved backwards, finding himself against the wall as he tried to escape the dread that was building up inside him. "Th-those are a lot of ships..."

"Battle stations, Team." Buzz put his hand on the throttle. "This is it. Time to teach Zurg he can’t invade innocent worlds and expect to get away with it."

Swallowing his fear, XR returned to his post. "I for one would rather _not_ be part of this lesson, ‘cause something tells me Zurg thinks he’s the one who’ll be doing the teaching!"

"Well," Buzz smiled dangerously, "we’ll just have to show him otherwise."       


	14. Chapter 13

It would’ve been a lie to say he wasn’t concerned. Zurg clenched the armrests of his throne as his fleet approached the blockade of star cruisers that lay before them. He’d been expecting this moment to come—Star Command would never allow him to proceed uncontested through Alliance Space. But now that it had arrived, he found himself filled with apprehension. His fleet was larger than theirs, the odds were on his side... but Buzz Lightyear was on Star Command’s side. And if anyone could throw a wrench in his plans, it was Lightyear.

That man had foiled more evil plots than he could count (he suspected the number was somewhere in the early thousands by now), and knowing he was out there made Zurg hesitate. This time things would be different, he kept telling himself. Buzz had been victorious for the last time. It was _his_ turn now. But still his fingers dug anxiously into the soft metal of the armrests. If he failed, he would lose everything. Not just the worlds he’d captured, _everything_.

 _I will not fail,_ he told himself. It simply wasn’t an option. _I’m strong, and I’m going to win._

"Evil Emperor," one of the Grubs below announced, its antennae twitching nervously, "the lead star cruiser is hailing us. Shall we respond?"

Zurg nodded, straightening his robes and letting his concerned expression slide away under a mask of stoicism. "Put them on the main viewer."

His mouth curved into a sneer as Lightyear’s face appeared on the vidscreen in front of him, and Buzz returned the look with a determined frown. "Zurg," he stated firmly, "your incursion ends here. Star Command won’t let you invade the Galactic Alliance any further. Return to your space and remove the forces illegally occupying the planets you’ve conquered, or face the consequences."

"Consequences? It is _you_ who will face the consequences if you continue to stand in my way!" Zurg stood up, letting his cape flow out dramatically behind him. "Surrender now or I will plough through your pitiful star cruisers and destroy anyone who tries to stop me!"

"Not a chance."

"Then prepare to die, Buzz Lightyear!" Zurg motioned for the Grub to cut communications, and he lowered himself back into the chair. "Arm all weapons and tell the fleet to engage the enemy!" he ordered. "Nothing shall stop our advance!"

Grubs scurried around the bridge as they carried out his orders, and Zurg smiled in satisfaction. In a way, it was a relief to finally face Lightyear. Through all the planning, it had been his biggest fear, the gnawing feeling of dread that marred his delight. He’d been defeated too many times to underestimate Buzz. Now they would see once and for all who was the better man.

A high pitched whine sounded as the weapons charged, and through the screen he watched his ships on the front line open fire on the star cruisers. The Dreadnought was still at the centre of the fleet, but the Grubs were bringing it through the lines to meet the cruisers head-on. Already Buzz’s ships were returning fire, twisting and wheeling as the black of space lit up in a whirl of flashes and colour. It was like a fireworks display, but far more deadly.

His eyes fixed on Jo-Ad, the small speck which could be seen behind the cruisers. It was just another world in the path of his conquest, but if it fell victory was practically guaranteed. _We can win this,_ he told himself. _We will not fail._

Yet he couldn’t help noting he hadn’t had the confidence to bring the president to the bridge this time to watch. Defeat was unthinkable, but if... if it somehow occurred, he would go down with dignity, away from her scorn and jeering.

Suddenly, he noticed the ship’s course was changing. "Why are we moving to the right?" he questioned. "Jo-Ad is straight ahead!"

"Forgive me, Your Evilness," the Grub at the helm responded meekly, "but the far right of the blockade is their weakest point, with fewer ships than the rest, and our fleet is concentrating their attack there."

Zurg frowned. It wasn’t like Lightyear to leave a weak spot like that. Even stranger, as he watched the cruisers, he noticed that they almost seemed to be pushing his ships _towards_ that point.  _This doesn’t feel right_. He knew Star Command had a limited number of ships, but surely Buzz would have spaced them out more evenly? He thought quickly, trying to imagine himself in his foe’s place to figure out his motives. "What’s on the right of the blockade?"

A Brain Pod checked the scanners. "Very little, my evil emperor," he reported. "Only a small debris field. There are some chunks of ice, a few loose asteroids, and other assorted space junk, but nothing that would pose a threat to our fleet."

Zurg nodded, but the uneasy feeling he had grew. "Any unusual energy readings?"

"None, my emperor, though some of the radioactive compounds in the asteroids could theoretically shield such readings from our scanners." The Pod shrugged. "However, I don’t see why there _would_ be any energy readings. As I said, it’s just an old debris field."

Springing to his feet, Zurg whirled to face the Grubs. "Tell our fleet to disengage their attack on that area! Disengage! It’s a trap!"

The Grubs nodded and set to work, while the Brain Pod looked confused. "A trap, my evil emperor? How?"

"Don’t you see? It’s an old trick—they’re trying to force us into the field because they’ve planted mines behind the asteroids!" Even without any additional evidence, he knew it was true—it was just the sort of thing Lightyear would do. It was the sort of thing _he_ would do. "Focus the attack on the centre of the blockade instead!"

"But how will we punch through? There many not be as many of them as there are of us, but many of their ships are bigger than ours. Why can’t we go around the blockade? We could go over it, or under it, or—"

"They’ll just follow and attack if we do—it won’t make any difference. No, we need to go through." Zurg folded his hands. "You see, my good Pod, they have one vital weakness we don’t."

"What’s that?"

"They _care_ about each other." Zurg chuckled. "They want to make it out with all their forces intact. The best way to win this battle is to demoralise them. Tell our ships to concentrate fire on only a few cruisers—no shooting about at everything in sight. It must be a focused attack. I want us to destroy a few specific vessels, and kill their crews too if possible. We must do everything in our power to take away their will to fight."

There was a time when he would’ve played the game with Buzz—enjoyed the thrill of the fight, all the while following the unwritten rules of engagement the two had layed down so long ago. They always gave each other a sporting chance, and neither foe ever tried _too_ hard to kill the other. There were no rules now. He didn’t have that luxury. It was victory, at any cost.

* * *

Silence filled the whole room, a deafening silence that seemed to pour from every empty chair and blank vidscreen. Normally there would be Rangers gathered in the recreation lounge, or at least a few LGMS, but that day it was empty.

Empty except for one man.

Leaning against the side frame of the giant window which filled one whole wall of the room, Ty Parsec stood with his arms folded, gazing out into space. It struck him as ironic that he’d come to the room for quiet, considering the whole station was quiet that day. Maybe he’d really come hoping for the opposite—hoping to find someone else in there to remind him he wasn’t the only living being left on the station. But his hopes had been in vain. Nearly every Ranger had joined the blockade at Jo-Ad, leaving only a skeleton crew of LGMs to run Star Command.

 _He_ hadn’t been sent out, though. Officially, he knew this was because he wasn’t part of any team and didn’t have a star cruiser. Unofficially, he wondered if there were other reasons. As a senior Space Ranger, he _should_ have been assigned to the mission. And he should have been given a team of his own long ago, dammit. Instead, ever since his reinstatement, he’d been kept on Star Command, working desk jobs (supposedly to allow him time to recuperate, even though proper Ranger work was the best medicine he knew) and occasionally going out on simple missions with various teams when they needed someone to fill in for an absent member.

He was used to not getting the best jobs—those always went to people like Buzz—but he would have liked to get just a _little_ more that this. A team of his own would’ve been nice; he figured he’d earned it by then. But somehow, all through his career, he had never gotten even semi-decent assignments, and after the Wirewolf debacle he supposed he was lucky they’d let him stay a Ranger at all.

_Doesn’t mean I have to like it though._

"You here too?" The voice surprised him, and he spun around to see who had entered.

"Oh, hello, Commander." He saluted. "Yeah, I just..."

Nebula nodded. "I know." He strode across the room. "Me too. That blasted desk of mine was hounding me to catch up on some paperwork, but I couldn’t concentrate. Decided to come down here instead."

Turning back to the window, Ty shrugged and folded his arms over his chest again. "Gotten any word on their progress yet?"

"Last we heard, they’d just engaged Zurg’s fleet." Nebula joined him. "Nothing since then, but that’s to be expected if they’re in the middle of a skirmish."

"You think they’ll pull through alright?"

The commander rubbed his moustache. "With Lightyear leading the fight? I’d put my money on it. Zurg’s gonna have his hands full if he tries to tangle with our fleet _and_ invade Jo-Ad at the same time."

"Yeah, you’re probably right." Ty nodded, but he found he wasn’t paying much attention to his words. Instead, he was staring out at the stars, watching as they glistened and wondering what was happening far away in the Jo-Adian system.

"You wish you were there, don’t you, Parsec?" Nebula was studying him. "I was just wishing the same thing myself. It’s not easy being kept out of the action."

Taking a deep breath, Ty decided to ask the question that had been on his mind all day. "Why, Commander? Why wasn’t I sent out? Some rookie could’ve stayed behind instead of me, and I could’ve taken their place on the team. Why am I stuck here while everyone else is off fighting?"

Nebula looked away. "We gotta keep a few seasoned Rangers here on Star Command in case there’s an emergency."

It seemed a reasonable enough explanation, but he knew there was more to it than that. "And I just happened to be one of those Rangers, huh? You didn’t keep Crockett or Turner here!"

"Crockett and Turner both have their own ships—you don’t. It made more sense to send them out instead of you."

" _And_ ," Ty filled in, "you trust them more than you trust me. If someone’s got to stay, it’ll be ol’ Ty Parsec, ‘cause you never know when he might turn into a monster again, right?"

Nebula shook his head. "I trust you, Parsec. You’ve always been an exemplary Ranger. And with that energy vampire gone, I know you’re not gonna go Wirewolf on us again. But... look, son," he placed a hand on Ty’s shoulder, "you went through a lot. That Wirewolf mess   left you with a lot of scars, and I just don’t know if it’s a good idea to put you back in a tense situation yet."

"It’s been well over a year, Commander!" Ty tried to keep his voice under control. "I’m okay. Really. I can handle whatever missions you throw at me—just give me the chance. Please." Turning away from the window, he began to pace across the room. "I’m tired of being cooped up here on Star Command, I’m tired of talking to psychologists, and I’m tired of doing nothing! I want to get back out into the action! I want more responsibilities—I want to be a Ranger again."

Nebula sighed. "Maybe you’re right—you do need to get out there again. Good Rangers like you should never be stuck behind a desk." It was clear he wasn’t just talking about Ty. "And cosmos knows, you’ve deserved a ship of your own for a long time. After this trouble with Zurg is over, I’ll look into it. But right now, I’m afraid you’re just gonna have to sit this one out."

There was a long pause. "Alright," Ty said at last. "I understand." He held out his hand. "Uh, thank you, Commander. Thanks for listening."

Nebula shook it. "Just continue to make me proud, Parsec. That’s all the thanks I need."

* * *

"We have twelve ships coming in fast on our position!" Mira grimaced as she stared at the blinking lights on her screen.

As the lead ship in the blockade, 42 had been the first to enter the fray, and already the LGMs’ new paint job was seeing its share of wear and tear. They were giving as good as they got, but with Zurg’s ships outnumbering them, it was a hard task just to dodge the enemy fire.

Buzz grabbed the controls and pulled the ship away as several blasts zoomed past. "Booster, return fire!"

"You got it, Buzz!"

42 swung around with its gun ports open and let loose a volley of fire from its laser cannons. Most of the shots connected, but the thick hulls of Zurg’s ship barely lost their sheen. Mira’s heart sank.

"Uh-oh," warned XR. "They’re coming back for another attack!"

"Man," said Mira as 42 swerved to avoid several blasts from their pursuers, "why are they all going after _us_?"

"Not just us," Booster reported. "Several other cruisers are under heavy fire from the enemy fleet. What’s weird is that the rest of cruisers are barely being attacked at all."

Buzz frowned. "Zurg’s up to something."

Biting her lower lip, Mira glanced through the window at the enemy ships tailing them. This wasn’t the battle she’d been expecting. According to their plan, they were supposed to lure Zurg’s fleet into a field of space debris where mines had been layed, disabling most of them before they could do any damage. The rest would be easily stopped by the blockade of star cruisers, and Zurg would have no choice but to flee and give up his planned conquest.

That wasn’t what had happened.

 _Why didn’t he take the bait?_ she wondered. Buzz had outsmarted Zurg many times in the past with similar ploys. The first doubts began to slither their way into her heart—was victory as sure a thing as she’d first thought it would be?

 _Of course it is_ , she insisted to herself. _Buzz said we couldn’t lose, so he won’t let us._ It was as simple as that. They’d had many disagreements, but the faith she had in her captain never wavered.

* * *

Pushing to the front of the fleet, the hulking Dreadnought circled the chaotic scene like a shark over a thrashing school of fish. Zurg’s eyes followed the movement of the ships, watching with pleasure as Lightyear’s cruiser took another hit. He’d rarely known bloodlust, even in his angriest and most hate-filled moments, but he felt it now. It was there in the catching of his breath and the hammering of his heart. He could almost feel the fear of the Rangers out there in the middle of the battle, and it felt good knowing he was the cause of it. He wanted to see them suffer. He wanted to _crush_ them.

"Lock weapons on Star Cruiser 42," he ordered his minions. "Full power to all laser cannons. Fire!" His laughter rang out as the red beams shot across the expanse, smashing into the cruiser and ripping great shards of hull panelling away. That would give Buzz something to think about. He could dodge the smaller ships, but even the pride of Star Command couldn’t hold out against the Dreadnought forever.

On another day, he might have been reluctant to attack Lightyear so mercilessly. Not out of any regard for the man, of course, but he didn’t want to eliminate his one truly worthy adversary so soon. Even now, he had to fight himself on the issue. Prolonging the battle by keeping Buzz alive was tempting—he wanted nothing more than to grapple with his arch enemy one-on-one and gloat in his face—but every moment Buzz was out there his plans were in jeopardy. He’d played this game for pleasure’s sake alone too long. Satisfaction could come later, when he was victorious; only winning mattered now.

The white cruiser continued to dance through the field of battle, trying to avoid its pursuers and launch attacks of its own where it could. The metal of Zurg’s gauntlets clinked together as he steepled his hands, chuckling softly to himself. _Ah, Buzz. So much blind optimism. As if you have a chance of defeating_ me. He smiled. _Not this time._

Snapping his fingers, he waited as the pattering of little feet sounded behind him. A moment later, his personal assistant appeared. The Grub bowed. "Yes, my evil emperor? How may I serve you?"

He was reminded again of how much he liked this new assistant. Dutiful and diligent, but with a smile—that was rare amongst these pitiful creatures. "Look out there, my little Grub," he motioned out the viewport to where the battle raged on. "What do you see?"

The deep, black eyes shifted, squinting as they took in the sight. "Our forces subduing the Space Rangers, Your Evilness."

A good answer. He nodded. "What you see is evil winning. Look—even Buzz Lightyear cannot stand against us!" A flick of his hand alerted the Grubs at tactical to continue the assault on the cruiser, and the scene lit up as the laser cannons fired. Lightyear tried to dodge, banking his vessel sharply to the right, but he wasn’t able to clear the last blast. It tore through the nose of the cruiser, scattering shrapnel everywhere and sending some of it slamming into the ship’s blastshield. The smaller pieces bounced off, but one jagged hunk of metal smashed against the glass, leaving a web cracks where it had been.

 _Pity it didn’t break through,_ Zurg thought. _The whole compartment would’ve depressurised. That would’ve been fun to watch._

He glanced at the Grub. Flashes of colour from the battle reflected in its wide eyes. It was staring, entranced, at the ships swerving and blasting each other left and right.

"This is what victory looks like," Zurg said. "Soon we’ll know the sight well."

"I am proud to serve you, Your Malevolence," the Grub answered, its voice full of awe.

"You’ve got that right." Zurg felt the doubts he’d previously harboured drain away. No one could stand before him, not even Buzz Lightyear. He would prevail. He was the Evil Emperor Zurg.

* * *

"Stabilising thrusters online!" Buzz’s voice sounded above the blaring alarms. Crimson light flooded the bridge in intermittent flashes as the red alert warned of multiple hull fractures. Mira watched the circle of cracks on the blastshield widen, the glass screeching as the shards scraped together.

"We have to get those cracks sealed!" she yelled.

Buzz nodded, his eyes on the steering controls as he jerked the ship out the path of an oncoming fighter. His brow was furrowed in concentration and glistening with sweat. "You take care of the cracks, Nova! Booster, I need you to keep firing on all enemy ships in range! XR, diagnostics report!"

Leaping from her seat, Mira levelled her wrist laser at the glass and set it to wide beam. The red ray fused the heated glass together, halting the spread of the cracks.

"Things don’t look good, skipper!" XR reported. "Damage to all systems. Engines are only operating at half power, our starboard guns are down, and life support is sketchy at best. If this keeps up, there won’t be enough left of us to send home in a shoe box!"

"As long as we have power, we keep fighting," insisted Buzz. "Star Command needs every ship out there if we’re gonna defeat Zurg."

Dropping back into her chair, Mira turned to Buzz. "Then don’t you think it’s time I took the shuttle out? We’re getting pounded here! I could take some of the heat off your backs."

Buzz shook his head. "Negative, Ranger. You getting killed out there won’t help anything."

"But you know I’m a good pilot! I’ll be fine—trust me! What other choice do we have?"

"I’m not risking it and we don’t have time to have this conversation again, so pipe down and do your job, Rookie, that’s that an order!"

His tone silenced the arguments forming on her tongue and she pouted, folding her arms. _Craters._ Why wouldn’t Buzz let her prove she could handle it? The shuttle was small and maneuverable—she could dodge any attacks. Sure, the weapons were minimal, but if she planned her strikes just right she could do a lot of damage to the enemy while they were preoccupied with the cruisers.

"Buzz, look out!" Booster suddenly warned. "There’s a fighter heading straight—"

Mira only had time to glance at the Zurg ship for a single moment before her vision went white as the small vessel was ripped apart in an explosion. She shielded her eyes and felt 42 rock from the shockwave. When she looked again, Star Cruiser 22 was sweeping through the wreckage of the fighter. "Alright, Rocket!" She threw a fist in the air.

"I’d hold off on the party if I were you," cautioned XR, peering over his readouts. "They’ve got ten more ships closing in on their position!"

"This is Buzz Lightyear to the fleet." Buzz leaned into his comm unit. "Keep formation, but give Crockett some support out there!" Cutting the transmission, he shot a glance over his shoulder to Booster. "Take down as many of those fighters as you can! I’m reading massive damage to 22's critical systems. We’ve got to defend them!"

"In case you haven’t noticed, Buzz, we’re not exactly operating at peak efficiency ourselves!" said XR.

"Rocket needs backup," Buzz insisted.

42 punched a path through the attacking ships, sending one fighter wheeling sideways into another with a well-aimed shot. More alarms droned through the bridge as they were battered by enemy fire. Mira saw a light on her console fade as one of the decks lost compression. "Buzz, 42's falling apart around us! We can’t keep this up!"

The determined lines on her captain’s face hardened further. "We keep fighting," he repeated. "Zurg isn’t getting through!"

"Tell that to him," whimpered XR. "He seems to have other ideas!"

"Come one, rookies, we can do this." With a jerk of his wrist on the joystick, Buzz dodged a torpedo. "We’ve been through worse scrapes before!"

Mira frowned at him. "Yeah, okay, remind me _when_ exactly?"

Buzz didn’t answer. They swooped under a squadron of fighters, several green energy blasts rattling their hull. Mira cringed as more alarms went off. "42 wasn’t built to take this kind of punishment!" she protested. "Zurg’s targeting most of the attack on us!"

"And on Rocket," said Buzz. "Rocket needs us as backup while the other cruisers keep Zurg away from Jo-Ad."

"Some backup we’ll be when we’re space dust," Mira muttered.

"Buzz!" XR and Booster both yelled simultaneously, looking up from their screens.

Buzz spun his head around. "Report?"

"We’ve got a ship hurtling straight toward us, full speed!" said XR. "No lifesigns—the fighter’s on autopilot. It’s suicide run, except we’re the ones who are going to die!"

"Booster, blast it out of the sky!" Practically throwing his himself against the controls, Buzz swung 42 to the left, his eyes fixed anxiously on the readouts.

Mira clenched her own joystick, ready to assist Buzz if the ride grew too choppy. She bit her lip and watched the kamikaze attacker jet past, missing 42 by inches.

"Targetting..." Booster’s tongue poked through the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on the console before him. "Craters, they’re going so fast, I can’t get a lock!"

"Do the best you can, Ranger!" ordered Buzz. "We have to take that ship down before—"

It must have happened in an instant, but time seemed to slow down as the team collectively gasped, realising the ship had swerved away from them and towards Rocket’s cruiser instead. Buzz reached for the radio to warn his old friend, but it was a futile gesture. With an eerie silence, the fighter crashed against the damaged cruiser, bursting through the side and shredding metal everywhere. A crack erupted through the hull, spreading towards the bridge. All the lights went out. Mira wanted to call out, to tell the crew to get to the launch tubes, but there was nothing she could do. She felt helpless.

The hull buckled, then the crack ripped open in a fiery ball of light and a shockwave slammed against 42, rattling them violently as it passed. Debris smothered the blastshield, shielding any sign of survivors.

Mira gulped. Had anyone made it out alive?


	15. Chapter 14

No one spoke or even dared to breathe. Though the alarms blared on, the team didn’t hear them. Buzz strained his vision, pressing close to the glass of the viewport as he stared at the clearing debris of the exploded star cruiser. _Come on, come on,_ he urged. _Where are you, Rocket?_

"Buzz!" Mira’s voice jarred the silence. "I’m getting a signal—it’s weak, but it’s from Rocket! They managed to bail out in time. Everyone’s okay!"

Buzz nodded, feeling lightheaded with relief. "Tell one of the other ships to pick them up. Instruct everyone else to keep fighting—we’ve got to stop Zurg from reaching Jo-Ad!"

"We’re going to have a heck of a time just staying alive out here," XR warned. "Three more of Zurg’s ships are hot on our tail!"

Executing a sharp turn to dodge the attacking vessels, Buzz frowned in thought. _What is Zurg’s game plan?_ _This isn’t like him._ He prided himself in always knowing what the evil emperor would do next, but now he found himself just as much in the dark as everyone else. Why was Zurg only targeting certain cruisers?

Buzz drummed a finger on the console. He knew Zurg’s style, and this wasn’t it. If there was one thing the fiend loved, it was a good fight. The more carnage and devastation, the better. He never restricted his wrath to a select few. _So what’s he trying to do?_ Buzz shook his head, puzzled, as he returned fire on an enemy fighter. _At least he wasn’t able to hurt Rocket._

And then all at once it became obvious, and Buzz almost smacked his forehead, wondering why he hadn’t realised sooner. _He thinks if he can kill a few of us, the rest won’t have the heart to continue._ The worst part was, Zurg was probably right. _Well, we won’t let him get what he wants,_ Buzz decided. _Everyone’s coming home today._

Swinging 42 around, he plunged beneath one of the pursuing ships and sent out a wave of shots at the vulnerable joint between the underside of the hull and the engines. The ship spun out of control and Buzz took 42 away, smiling in satisfaction. "That old trick still works."

"Small victory, Buzz," cautioned XR. "22's destruction left a gap in our blockade and several of Zurg’s ships slipped through while the debris was clearing! The other cruisers have blocked the hole again but our forces are spread too thin to send anyone after them!"

"Blast!" Buzz slammed his fist on the console.

"But we have to stop them from reaching Jo-Ad!" whimpered Booster.

Buzz’s brow knotted together. "Our fleet wasn’t big enough to begin with—if we start sending people away from the fight to take down anyone who gets through, the blockade’s going to lose all cohesion. If that happens, we’ll never be able to keep Zurg at bay!"

"But what about Jo-Ad?" Booster pulled at his ears. "You promised we wouldn’t let Zurg get to it!"

"And I’m trying to keep that promise!" Buzz sighed. "Okay, look, maybe _one_ ship leaving the blockade won’t make a difference. Mira, tell the cruisers closest to us hold off the enemy vessels on our tail." He turned to Booster. "We’re going to catch the ones that got through!"

It really wasn’t a good idea, if he had to be honest with himself. Their numbers were so few already and as the head of the fleet, 42 was needed at blockade—but he couldn’t let Booster down. Buzz sighed and pressed the lever down, leaving the skirmish behind them as they blasted towards Jo-Ad. The brown planet loomed larger, four specks lighting the black sky around it with their ion trails. Buzz set his sights on those four ships, a smile tugging at his lips as 42 gained on them. _You’re not going to put the good people of Jo-Ad at risk if I have anything to say about it._

"Oh man," he heard XR mutter. "The Dreadnought’s really giving the other cruisers a hard time back there!"

Flinching, Buzz kept his eyes set on the enemy vessels in front of him and pushed the throttle all the way down. He couldn’t go back—he’d made a promise. "Are they maintaining formation?"

"Barely," Mira answered, checking her screen. "But some of them are struggling just to survive, Buzz." He’d never heard her voice waver like that before.

"They’ll manage," he insisted. "Evil never wins."

There were no nods of affirmation from his crew.

He heard Booster whimper, and turned to give him a supportive smile. "Jo-Ad will be okay—we’re not going to let Zurg get to it." They _couldn’t_ let Zurg get to it. If the blockade didn’t work, Zurg would continue his advance, and if that happened... Failure was simply not an option, he repeated to himself.

"We’re coming up on the first ship!" XR pointed to the dark vessel before them. "If you’re gonna do something, now’s the time!"

Mira grimaced. "Our power levels are already severely depleted—do you really think we can take on all four of those ships?"

"Do we have a choice?" Zeroing in on the enemy vessel, Buzz nodded to Booster. "Open fire!"

The Jo-Adian complied swiftly, targeting the ship and slamming his finger down on the controls. Small explosions erupted across its hull where the shots landed, but the ship plunged onwards as if nothing had happened.

"The lead ship’s come to a stop above Jo-Ad’s atmosphere," XR reported. "They’re launching Hornets."

"What?" Pausing his assault on the vessel in front of them, Booster gasped. "We have to go faster! If those Hornets reach Jo-Ad..."

Mira shook her head. "Our engines were pretty badly hit—we’re at maximum speed already! If we go any faster, we’ll blow out the fusion crystals! And, uh," she blushed, "I think we all know that’s a bad idea."

Clenching the throttle harder, as if doing so would make the ship move faster, Buzz narrowed his eyes and stared at the speck poised beside Jo-Ad. He suddenly felt powerless. _I promised Booster..._ But his words meant nothing now. Zurg had gotten a ship to Jo-Ad. Buzz gritted his teeth. _No, Zurg. You’re not getting this planet. This is where it ends._ His promise was broken, but hope remained. If he could stop those ships from getting Hornets on the ground, the people of Jo-Ad would be safe. _Come on, baby,_ he willed 42, _just a little faster._

* * *

Crockery rattled as her shaking hand brought the warm tea to her lips. Ma Munchapper sipped it in hesitant gulps, trying to focus her thoughts on the simple action of drinking instead of the many worries whirling through her head. Brent Starkisser’s voice droned on in the background, but she’d stopped paying attention to the news. She would’ve turned the vidscreen off if she could have, but her husband and father-in-law were glued to it, occasionally commenting when the battle was mentioned. They sounded so calm—was she the only one worrying for the safety of their home, and most of all their son? Or perhaps they shared her fears but hid them better. Ma glanced at her husband. He was jittery too, but the light in his eyes spoke of excitement, not fear. There was a thrill in his voice, as if it were all one big adventure. He seemed confident Star Command would triumph spectacularly, probably looking forward to giving their son a hero’s welcome when it was over. She felt less certain.

_All I want is my Boostie back home safe and sound_ , she sighed. No one could be prouder of him than her, not even Pa, but none of his heroic deeds would matter if anything happened to him.

"Mr. and Mrs. Munchapper!" The front door burst open, nearly swinging off its hinges. Buster ran in, a hoe still in hand. Flinging it down, he pointed outside. "I was working out in the fields," he panted, "and I saw—I saw... well, see for yourselves!"

Ma was on her feet at once, forgetting the crockery in her hand and letting it smash on the floor. She didn’t spare it a glance, instead running to the door with her husband close behind. Gramps hobbled more slowly after them, but soon they were all assembled in the field, shielding their eyes from the suns as they stared up at the sky.

"Holy pulsars," gasped Pa. "They’re here!"

A shining dot stood out against the clear blue, gradually growing larger as it neared the planet’s surface. Shade fell over the whole valley and the moozles stopped grazing to look up. Evening the humming of the summer insects halted.

"Zurg?" Ma whispered, trying to keep her voice steady.

Buster gulped. "M-maybe it’s one of Star Command’s ships," he offered hopefully.

Ma shook her head. "No... it’s Zurg—I can feel it." She took his hand and squeezed it, partly for her own benefit and partly for his. It wasn’t hard to tell what he was thinking. They both knew Zurg wasn’t likely to forget betrayal easily. Buster didn’t meet her eyes, staring sheepishly at the ground. She squeezed his hand tighter. Zurg didn’t forgive, but she did. As much as her heart had broken when she’d learned Buster had sided with Zurg, she’d never hesitated to welcome him back into the family. After the incident, Ranger Lightyear had asked if they wanted to press any charges against the boy for sabotaging their farm—her reaction had been one of indignance. How could she turn against the boy she’d practically raised as her own son, especially when he needed her most? In a way, she considered it her own fault he’d gone astray; she should’ve noticed something was wrong—should’ve reassured Buster he was just as loved as Booster. Never did she consider holding any bitterness towards the boy for what he’d done.

Setting her face firmly towards the sky, she scowled. Zurg would have to get through her before he could touch Buster.

"Don’t worry, Ma." Pa patted her shoulder. "We’ll fight him off if he tries to set foot on Jo-Ad."

Ma frowned. "Remember what you promised Booster? No heroics. This isn’t our fight—we have to leave it to the Space Rangers."

"But it is our fight!" protested Pa. "This is our planet, and we’re not going to let Zurg take it!"

"Look!" Buster pointed to a stream of tiny figures pouring from the speck in the sky. "Hornets!"

Shaking his head gravely, Gramps tipped his cane towards the house. "I think we should get back in," he advised. "It’s not safe out here."

It took some convincing to get Pa to agree, but soon they were all back inside, with the door barricaded and an array of weapons scattered across the table. Two pitchforks, a shovel, an old flare gun, and some knives from the kitchen. Ma had her doubts about the effectiveness of these against an army of Zurg’s robots, but the others seemed to feel better with them at hand, so she said nothing.

The four of them clustered around a window, watching as the Hornets descended through the sky. "Do you think we should warn the neighbours?" Ma asked.

"We shouldn’t make any calls—they might be monitoring the transmission, and we don’t want to attract any attention," decided Pa.

"I think the neighbours will notice soon enough anyway." Buster clenched the side of the sofa, his eyes fixed intently on the Hornets. "It looks like some are coming this way..."

They exchanged grim glances, and Pa picked up the shovel. "They’re not going to get into this house."

Dread crept into Ma’s heart, and she clung to his arm. "We promised Booster..."

"I think he’d understand—a man’s got to protect his farm and his family," insisted her husband.

Realising she wouldn’t be able to dissuade him, Ma sighed and let go. "Alright, but I’m coming with you."

"What?! You can’t do that—it’ll be dangerous! You should stay here with Gramps. I’ll take Buster with me."

She wanted to protest, but looking at her father-in-law, she could see Pa was right about someone needing to stay with him. For all his feistiness, Gramps wouldn’t be able to defend himself if the Hornets broke into the house. "Okay." She hugged her husband. "Be careful, and kick their metal keisters for me. Teach them that no one messes with us Munchappers!"

"Will do!" After kissing her cheek, Pa motioned for Buster to grab the flare gun, and a moment later they were out the house to face down the squadron of Hornets heading for the farm.

Ma turned to the window, resting her hands on the sill as she looked out. The wind had picked up, sending waves rolling through the fields of bunzel plants in the distance. Near the barn, several moozles were grazing peacefully, totally unaware of the danger their home was in. Up above, the speck had grown and taken on the form of a ship, and Hornets were still pouring from it.

_Where are the Space Rangers_? Ma stared upwards, her eyes wide, unshed tears moistening their edges. Booster said if all went well, Zurg’s fleet would never get near Jo-Ad. Yet here they were, and not a Ranger in sight. _What happened to them? What happened to my Booster?_ Not knowing was always a thousand times worse than whatever the truth was.

"Keep your spirits up," Gramps counselled quietly. "Everything’ll be fine in the end. We’ve weathered worse storms than this."

Ma wished she could remember some, but none came to mind.

Gramps suddenly frowned, and he pointed out the window. "What’s that?"

Whipping around, Ma peered at the sky, her heart lifting. "The Rangers!" A white shape had appeared beside the ship of Zurg’s and was swooping down on it, tiny lights blazing between the ships as shots were fired. "They’ve come!" Hope wasn’t lost after all.

She and Gramps cheered as the cruiser tore into the enemy ship mercilessly, hammering it with its weapons and shooting down some of the Hornets. Bright circles—explosions she guessed—kept breaking out across the ship, and smoke poured up from it. In another instant, a massive explosion suddenly billowed out the centre and the vessel shook and careened across the sky.

"Oh, yeah!" Ma yelled, hugging Gramps. "They did it!" But her cheers were cut short when the ship plummeted down, seemingly in slow motion, and she realised it would strike their farm. "Under the table, Gramps, under the table!" None too gently she shoved the old man under the large wooden table in the kitchen, huddling beside him and covering her ears.

When the explosion came, it was like the loudest crack of thunder she’d ever heard, but longer and sharper. Her knees were pressed against the floor and through them she could feel the ground shaking. The shockwave of the impact rattled the windows and dishes fell from their places and shattered, sending shards rolling across the floor.

At last all was still, and Ma crawled out. "Pa!" Her first thought was for her husband—was he alright? Where had the ship crashed? "Stay under the table where it’s safe," she told Gramps. "I’ll be back!" Grabbing one of the pitchforks, she ran to the door. It had been blown open by the blast.

Smoke filled her lungs as she exited the building. Looking around, she soon located its source—a rubble-strewn crater lying in one of their fields, sending out waves of smoke. But not all the choking grey clouds came from the crater—the crash had set the field alight, and orange glows rippled through dry bunzel plants, fanned by the wind.

"Pa! Buster!" Ma scanned the scene frantically. Moozles were running left and right in terror and birds streaked across the sky, unsettled by the crash, but there was no sign of Pa or Buster. "Where are you?"

Scrambling over debris that had been blasted all over the farmyard, she searched behind the barn. "Pa! Are you out here?"

"Ma?"

The voice came from inside the barn. It was Pa, and he sounded panicked. Throwing caution to the wind, Ma rushed in waving her pitchfork. Smoke had filled the interior of the barn, but she was able to make out the scene in an instant. Pa and Buster were backed against a corner, Pa brandishing a shovel while Buster held the empty flare gun, and four Hornets were closing in on them. Two more Hornets lay uselessly on the ground, one with the remains of the flare sticking through its chest, the other cleaved in two by the shovel.

Swivelling around when she entered, the Hornets levelled their weapons at her. Without even thinking, Ma lunged at them, swinging the pitchfork against one’s head and knocking the hapless robot down. Before the Hornet beside it could open fire, she slammed the pitchfork into its chest, ramming it against the wall. The tines tore though the thin metal chest-plating, sending sparks flying as the Hornet’s circuitry was gutted.

Following her lead, Pa swung his shovel down on another Hornet and cracked its head in two, while Buster grabbed the remaining robot and crushed it between his strong arms. As the dust settled, the three smiled to each other in relief. "Nice going, Ma," Pa nodded.

"Not bad yourself." Ma pulled the fork out the robot, letting it fall to the floor with a metallic thunk.

"I don’t mean to ruin the moment," Buster fretted, "but do you smell that fire? The field’s burning!"

Ma nodded. "I know! But we can’t put out a fire and defend the farm at the same time!" She tried not to think about the season’s crops burning, their farm’s future literally going up in smoke.

"We’ll have to hope the firebreaks in the fields keep it at bay!" said Pa. "Let’s get back to the house—it’ll be easier to hold the Hornets off from there!"

* * *

"Keep firing on that ship, Booster!" Buzz swung the cruiser around. "I think we’ve almost got them!"

"But we’ve still got two more to deal with," groaned XR.

Mira shook her head, looking up gravely from her screen. "Not just two—more are slipping through the blockade! There aren’t enough ships to hold them off!" Her thin eyebrows were slanted up in despair. "42 doesn’t have enough firepower to bring them all down!"

Pulling the ship down sharply avoid an enemy missile, Buzz shrugged. "We’ll manage—the power of good always triumphs."

"I hate to doubt you on that point, Buzz ol’ buddy," XR folded his arms, "but it does _look_ like we’re triumphing?! We’re vastly outnumbered, and that first ship we took out got some Hornets on the ground before we destroyed it!"

Booster gulped. "And the other ships are sending more! Buzz, what are we going to do? Oh, I just know my family’s in danger..." He wrung his hands. "Requesting permission to leave the ship and fight the Hornets hand-to-hand, sir!"

"Negative—too dangerous. We’ll have to clean up those Hornets later."

"By then they might’ve gotten a firm foothold on the planet," warned Mira. "And I’m picking up all kinds of signals from the surface—the people are trying to fight them off! Unless Jo-Ad stands down, innocent people will get hurt!"

Was she suggesting they _surrender_? Give up? Buzz gritted his teeth. "That’s not an option, Ranger, and you know it! We can’t let Zurg win this battle!"

Booster nodded. "Who knows what’ll happen to Jo-Ad if he takes over!"

"They’ll take more of a pounding if we keep fighting!" argued Mira. "Buzz, you know I’m not one to give up, but I don’t see how we can win this! Sooner or later, people will be killed! Once the rest of Zurg’s forces break through the blockade, we’ll be done for. The only hope we have is to get out while we can and cut our losses. It’s the best thing for us and for Jo-Ad!"

Buzz couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "This isn’t just about Jo-Ad! It’s about the entire Galactic Alliance! If we let Zurg win this battle, he’ll sweep through and take over the whole quadrant!" He’d spent most of his life fighting to stop that from happening—he wasn’t about to quit now! The freedom of billions of people was at stake!

"I’m not saying we give up completely! We regroup and drive Zurg back another day!"

"No." That was his final word on the matter. Buzz dove at the ship in front of him, positioning 42 in line to take out its weapons. "Booster, let ‘em have it! Booster?" His rookie hadn’t responded. Instead, when Buzz turned around, he saw the young Ranger staring at his screen and biting his fingers. "Booster, the forward guns—now would be a good time to fire them!"

"Wha—? Oh, uh, yeah!" Booster fired, but missed as the enemy ship swerved before the guns could target them.

"Concentrate, Ranger!" Buzz turned back to his station. "You have to stay focused!"

"I’m sorry, Buzz, b-but, well... the Hornets are making a real mess down there, a-a-and I think maybe Mira’s right... we have to surrender, it’s the only way to keep Jo-Ad safe!"

"Driving off Zurg will keep them safe!"

"That’s not going to happen and you know it!" To his surprise, Mira was practically yelling. She’d been mad at him plenty of times before, but it wasn’t often that she talked back like that during a mission. "Buzz, face facts! We can’t win!"

"I’m with Mira on this one," XR nodded. "No one knows gambling like me, so believe me when I say the odds are _not_ on our side here! Sometimes you have to fold one hand so you can win the game!"

Buzz looked at them, his mouth opening and closing. Had his whole team rallied against him? It was practically a mutiny! No, _treason_ was a better word—letting Zurg win was the same as betraying the Galactic Alliance and the oath they’d sworn, the oath to protect and defend its citizens. Why couldn’t they see that? "Guys," he spluttered at last, trying to keep one eye focused on piloting the ship, "listen to what you’re saying!"

"Why don’t you _look_ at what’s happening!" Mira retorted, pointing outside. More ships were arriving, coming to a standstill above Jo-Ad and launching Hornets. They seemed to be ignoring 42 now, as if even they realised Star Command’s efforts were futile. Buzz felt sick as he watched them.

"But—" was all he could manage. There had to be another way out of this! Wasn’t there usually some miraculous last-minute solution which saved the day? Where was that solution now? He scowled. Mira’s arguments were so blasted logical! But... but... he couldn’t accept defeat... not against Zurg! Not when the stakes were so high! And yet... innocent civilians could be hurt, even killed, if this kept up...

"Buzz." Mira put her hand on his arm. "Let’s call it off. It didn’t work—we’ll have to try something else. But now it’s time to get out of here."

Exhaling a long breath, Buzz nodded. He picked up the radio sitting in front of him. His hand trembled. "This is Buzz Lightyear to all cruisers. I... I’m ordering you to stand down and retreat." His eyes fell closed and he wiped the sweat from his brow. "This battle is over. We lost."


	16. Chapter 15

They were leaving. Buzz Lightyear was _retreating._ Zurg rose cautiously, his cape trailing softly behind him. The Dreadnought’s bridge had fallen into abrupt silence, and every step he took seemed to echo like thunder against the hush. The Grubs exchanged confused, uncertain glances, as if even they couldn’t believe what was happening.

He stared at the white cruisers streaking away against the black night. It wasn’t a total victory yet—there were many more worlds still to conquer—but it _was_ a victory. And he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had one against Lightyear.

At last the silence ebbed, and the Grubs began whispering to each other and returned to work at their stations. One of them reported that Jo-Ad was surrendering, and Zurg nodded absently. He’d won. The battle was over, and he’d _won_. Even with all his careful planning, he hadn’t expected this outcome. Defeat was always inevitable when he took on Lightyear. It had been a bitter pill to swallow the first dozen times he’d lost, but as the years went by, he’d grown used to it. Eventually they had it down almost to a routine—every week he came up with a new maniacal scheme, and like clockwork Buzz would show up to stop him. A few exchanges of insults, some evil gloating, maybe even near success—and then his plot would come crashing down as Buzz exploited some fatal flaw in it. It was frustrating, but also... vaguely comforting in its regularity. Enjoyable even at times—who didn’t delight in sparring with their arch enemy, after all?

But now all bets were off.

They weren’t doing things by the old rules anymore. No more weekly games, no more half-baked schemes. He was playing for keeps now.

Whipping around, he extended his arm and pointed a claw at the Grubs. "Start securing the planet! Tell the Hornets to leave those piddling dirt pits the Jo-Adians call farms alone and concentrate on the capital—we want the government firmly under our control. Send the shuttle with the overseers—tell Brain Pod 62 the planet is his, for now. We have to keep moving!"

Since the conquest of Rhizome, their pace had been steadily increasing and each planet had barely surrendered before they were conquering the next one. The quicker they got to Capital Planet, the less time Star Command would have to think up countermeasures.

Zurg returned to his throne, smoothing his robes as he lowered himself into the chair. The Grubs were already hard at work below, knowing full well they couldn’t afford to be lax in their duties. He nodded to himself, letting a smile slip over his face as he contemplated the current state of affairs again. Was this how Lightyear always felt when he won? Zurg liked it. Victory had a pleasant taste on the tongue; he’d almost forgotten what it was like.

Perhaps the sweetest part of all was not that they’d triumphed, though—it was that Lightyear had lost. He wondered how his dear foe was enjoying the foul flavour of failure.

* * *

Shouts filled the Senate chambers, and a wave of faces rose and fell as senators bobbed in their seats, all trying to make their opinions be heard above the tumult. Nebula watched from the corner of the room, his arms folded and grim lines set across his face. He couldn’t blame the senators for their panicking; years of experience allowed him to keep a level head, but even he’d been shaken when Buzz reported in and told him how the battle had gone.

"We trusted you Rangers to protect us!" yelled Aarrfvox. "Instead, you allowed this to happen!"

"My Rangers fought their hardest out there!" Nebula countered quickly. "They only pulled out because the fight was unwinnable! If we’d lost the cruisers, there’d be no line of defense left!"

A senator from Beta Bayou snorted. "A lot of good they’ll be," she snapped. "If they couldn’t hold off Zurg at Jo-Ad, how are they going to stop him from reaching Capital Planet?"

President Taln held out his hands to silence the room. It took a few moments, but order fell. "Commander Nebula has a plan," he soothed.

"Indeed I do." Strolling up to the podium, Nebula faced the Senate. "But it’s gonna require cooperation from all you folks."

"We’ll do anything you ask," assured the Rhizomian senator quietly. "Anything to free our people."

Aarrfovx looked more sceptical, folding his arms. "Forgive me if I’m hesitant to trust your plans after that disaster of a battle, but I’ll want to know what you’re going to ask of us first before I agree to anything."

"I need your people to provide us with ships." Nebula waited for the surprised murmurs to quiet before he continued. "It’s clear our forces aren’t enough to stop Zurg on their own. Normally we prefer to handle all threats to the Alliance ourselves, so that civilians don’t get hurt, but this is a special case. I’m going to have to ask all of you to provide as many battle-ready ships for our fleet as you can."

Furious protests rose from the room. "Mr. President," Aarrfovx turned to Taln, "this is insane! If we give them all our ships and they lose, none of our worlds will have any kind of defense!"

"We’ll be sitting ducks for Zurg’s armies!" nodded the Beta Bayouian senator.

"I am aware of that," sighed Taln, "but we have no choice. If we can’t defend Capital Planet, the whole Alliance will fall, and then where will you be?"

"It’s unacceptable!" Aarrfovx insisted. The other senators roared in agreement, many waving their arms or tentacles for added emphasis.

Nebula shook his head to himself. Politicians—sometimes he thought it would be better to shoot the whole lot of them into space and be done with them. "Then what do you propose we do?" he challenged. "How are we going to stop Zurg without ships?"

Raising a slimy hand, Senator Phlemex caught his attention. "It seems," he said, sucking in the slime oozing from his vesicles, "we have no choice but to"—he sucked in again—"surrender."

Typical suggestion. The Phlegmians never did have any stomach for battle, which was probably why their planet had been conquered a dozen times over before the Alliance had finally liberated it. Several senators were nodding in agreement. Nebula scowled. "Surrender? Are you crazy? That’s _never_ an option! How is that a better idea than lending your ships to Star Command?!"

"Less people," said Phlemex, "will die."

* * *

Leaning on his cane, King Nova stood beside the landing pad, gazing idly down at the rocky landscape below. Water gushed in a thin ribbon through the valley, fed by the falls that tumbled over the cliffs surrounding the floating palace. A strong breeze blew through, carrying a bird past and ruffling the bushes on the cliffs.

Up above, a small ship was racing down through the sky. Nova recognised it immediately as the shuttle belonging to his daughter’s star cruiser. "She’s here at last," he murmured, standing up straight and stepping back as the craft came down on the pad. He felt the heat waves from engines rise up around him, and he wiped his brow. Smoothing his appearance one last time, he waited for the ship’s pilot to emerge.

"Daddy!" Mira jumped out the hatch as soon as the engines had shut off. Bounding across the walkway, she soon reached him.

"Mira." She looked as beautiful as always, but as he took in her features, he could see there were dark shadows under her eyes, and her mouth twitched nervously. Until now, he hadn’t realised what a toll the recent events must have taken on her. _Perhaps I should pay more attention to what goes on in the rest of the galaxy_ , he thought. He hadn’t even heard that she’d been in a battle until it was over—which, perhaps, was for the best; his nerves would have been severely strained if he’d known she was in so much danger. He wished she’d called him before she’d gone out to fight, though. If something had happened to her, he would never have had another chance to speak to her, or see her face. He winced at the thought.

She twined her arms around him, and he patted her back. "How’ve you been?" she asked.

"Well enough, child. Things are much the same here as they always are." Even the death of the president had had little effect on Tangea. There were advantages to living in isolation from your neighbours. "How are you, my daughter?

Shrugging, Mira rubbed the back of her head. "Ah, you know... could be better. Things have been tough, and after we lost the fight... Well, I just don’t know what’s going to happen."

For the first time, Nova wondered if his own world was endangered by the galactic events unfolding around them. It hadn’t occurred to him before—he’d just assumed the problems were outsider issues, totally irrelevant to Tangean life. But if Evil Emperor Zurg did indeed succeed in taking over the Alliance, Tangea would fall under his control as well. And that was something Nova refused to let happen. "You said you needed my help?"

"Yes." Mira smiled hopefully. "I, uh, I’m not sure what you’re gonna say, but please hear me out before you start yelling." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Tangea has a military. It’s not big, but we do have some ships. Well, Father, Star Command... Star Command needs those ships. We can’t defeat Zurg unless we expand our fleet."

So that was what she was after. Nova took a step back, wondering how to take this request. Under normal circumstances, he would have instantly said no—let Star Command take care of things themselves. That was their job, after all, wasn’t it? But these were not normal circumstances.

"Please," Mira begged. "We just need them this once. You have no idea how important this is, or how bad things are. I don’t think anyone does. Th-this is our last chance. We’re going to assemble a fleet to defend Capital Planet, and if it can’t stop Zurg... then he wins. Don’t you see—the whole Galactic Alliance depends on this!"

With stakes like that, it seemed a little shortsighted to refuse. Yet he couldn’t quite bring himself to say yes. "Are you sure about this, Mira? If I give you the ships, Tangea will be defenseless."

"I know, but this is the only way, Father." She shrugged again, clasping her hands behind her back. "And... there’s something else."

Nova sighed. _Of course._ "What?"

"Well, um... you see, Zurg probably won’t touch Tangea yet, since it isn’t directly in his path, but Trade World is. A lot of evacuees from the other planets Zurg took over are hiding out there, and if Zurg comes through, they’ll have nowhere to go. We’re taking some of them to Capital Planet, but there isn’t time to get them all out of there before Zurg arrives." She gulped. "W-we were w-wondering if you could, uh, let some of them stay here until all this is over..."

"Absolutely not!" Sending military aid was one thing, and he’d almost made up his mind to agree to that, but harbouring a horde of outworlders on his planet? Out of the question!

"Father, _please_ ," Mira persisted. "A lot of them are frightened families who just want to be safe. If they stay on Trade World, they’ll be in danger, but if you let them stay here, they’d be out of harm’s way and could go back to their homes when this is over. They could even stay on the surface, so you wouldn’t have to deal with them at all."

Her eyes were wide, and her face wore that crooked half-smile he could never resist. "Oh, drat you!" He waved his cane in exasperation. "Very well, they can stay—but only on the surface! And I won’t have any of those thugs or ruffians that Trade World is so full of here! Make sure only decent people are allowed in!"

"Of course, Dad. And the ships? Do we get them?"

Sighing, Nova nodded. "Yes, I’ll give orders for our ships to join your fleet at Capital Planet."

"Oh, thank you!" Mira flung her arms around him. "Thank you, Daddy! We really needed this!"

"You’re, er, welcome." Letting his cane drop, he slipped his arms around her, stroking her soft hair. "Will you be part of this upcoming fight?"

Mira nodded. "I have to be—pretty much every Ranger’s going to be there."

"Be safe. Please." She was a strong young woman, he didn’t doubt that at all, but in his arms she felt so delicate and precious. The thought of sending her out to fight was like a knife through his chest. If anything happened to her...

"I’ll be fine, I promise." Mira kissed his cheek.

He kissed her back. "I love you, Mira."

* * *

Though she was sealed in a spacesuit from head to toe, the crowd she mingled with made her feel dirty. She was glad of her helmet’s filter; the air looked stale and muggy, and one of the bar’s patrons was blowing smoke rings. The close atmosphere and almost palpable sense of impending disaster reminded her of the pits of Xothal, where she’d won her greatest victory and earned the name Black Destroyer. A place she wished she could forget—why did it always come back to haunt her? The sky had been almost black, far darker than the bar’s dim lighting, and the air had been thick with smoke and sweat and blood. All around her, people were groaning and dying in the mud as she marched across the battlefield and fought her way through the enemy to cut off the head of a gasping General Zorn, flinging it at the enemy troops and watching them flee. It was a glorious moment—but what did it matter? They’d lost the war all the same, and if she’d stayed at her empress’s side where she belonged, perhaps things would have gone very differently. Now it was all just ancient history, taught to bored schoolchildren who’d never known war or bitterness or desperation.

She looked down at the counter. Her reflection stared blankly back at her, the helmet’s dark visor hiding her face. The suit was heavy and cumbersome—she’d long past her days of wearing thick battle armour, and it chafed against her skin—but it provided the secrecy she needed. No one gave her a second glance.

Each minute dragged by painfully, the digits on her suit’s chronometer reminding her she was wasting time. Soon she would have to leave—Zurg was coming, and already the people of Trade World were fleeing their planet like rats from a burning trash heap. If she left her ship unattended too long, some desperate evacuee might try to steal it. Not that they would succeed—the autodefense system was too good for that—but she didn’t have time to deal with such trivial irritations.

Her eyes scanned the room. She suspected the bar wasn’t doing its usual business, but it remained fairly well populated in spite of the dire circumstances. Perhaps some people were having a last drink to settle their nerves before the invasion, or maybe the scum that frequented an establishment like this simply didn’t care. Many of them probably welcomed the chaos as a chance to loot the city for all it was worth. Such things were commonplace in war; she’d seen enough cities sacked in her time, streets littered with broken glass and shopfronts smashed open. It was always the same.

She wondered why she’d come. It was clear the filthy streets of Trade World offered no one who could help her. Some of these thugs would be willing, she was sure—for a price. But bought loyalty was false loyalty, and she cared nothing for it. Then again, the civil war was lost because their enemies had filled their ranks with mercenary soldiers, far outnumbering the imperial forces. Perhaps there was something to be said for taking help wherever you could get it.

"Eh, move aside, man, lemme through." She felt someone rudely shoving past her, taking the vacant barstool on her left.

Anger flared within her for a moment—no one on her world would have dared treat her with such disrespect—then died when she remembered that in this galaxy she was nobody, just another traveller like everyone else in the room.

"Oh boy, oh boy." The hunched, rodent-like creature flicked a dirty hand through a wad of notes. "Am I on fire today or what? We need to have an invasion every week! I tell ya, I must’ve sold the same seat on that evacuee ship fifty times. And I never even _had_ a seat!" He chuckled. "Some suckers’ll buy anythin’, man."

Looking him over with distaste, she decided he wasn’t worthy of her attention and returned to her musings. He seemed to have noticed _her_ , however.

"So, what you doin’ in town with all this happenin’?" He glanced up at her. "Makin’ a few bucks outta the deal like me?"

"No."

Her curt answer failed to silence him. "Lookin’ for a transport ship? ‘Fraid all the seats are sold out. Although," he began to laugh again, " _I_ could sell you one!"

"Actually," she said, growing more and more tired of his company, "I was looking for someone who could help me. So please be quiet while I try to think."

"Hey, man, you’ve come to the right place! Anythin’ you need to know, you just ask ol’ Crumford Lorak. I know what’s goin’ down, I got connections everywhere. All you gotta do is flash a little cash and I’ll hook you up!"

Her sneer was lost behind her visor. The verminous alien repulsed her. She’d seen his kind before, and she knew such creatures flourished in tragedy and disaster while more honest people were broken down and swept away by it. She wanted nothing more than to walk out the bar and leave the underworld atmosphere behind her—but it suddenly dawned on her that this individual might be useful. Grudgingly, she said, "I need to hire someone. An assistant, you might say. I don’t have the strength to complete my task alone."

"Yeah, sure, gotcha," the alien nodded. "So what qualities exactly are you lookin’ for in this assistant, huh?"

"Who is the strongest, most determined person you know?"

He snorted. "Buzz Lightyear! I can tell you that for free."

That name again. She shook her head. "Anyone else?"

"Well," he choked on his drink as he laughed, "the toughest guy around used to be Shiv Katall—he didn’t come cheap, but if you wanted the best you called him. ‘Course," the laughter increased, "he turned out to be Buzz too!"

She frowned. "What do you mean?" Was this Lightyear person involved in _everything?_

"Yeah. Oh man, what I wouldn’ta given to see Zurg’s face when he found that one out. Not many people can pull one over on him. Even I ain’t tried, and I’ll swindle anyone!" The alien sipped his drink. "Yeah, man, now that’s a story! Seems Lightyear and the ol’ man, Nebula—y’know, the commander of Star Command—invented Shiv to sneak defectors outta Zurg Space..."

"And it worked? Zurg fell for it?" Somehow, she had expected better of the emperor.

"For years! Maybe Zurg ain’t as smart as he thinks he is, eheheheh!"

She nodded slowly. Reaching inside her suit, she brought out a few crumpled bills—Nick had provided her with money, should she have need of it—and layed them down on the counter. "Thank you."

"What’s this for?" He swiped the cash hungrily. "Not that I’m complainin’!"

"Your help." The stool creaked as she rose. She began to march out stiffly, feeling the weight of suit pressing down on her with every movement. She needed to get into fighting shape again, she realised.

"Hey, no problem, man, but I didn’t even tell you nothin’," he called after her.

"You told me enough," she replied as she walked out.

* * *

He couldn’t believe they were still debating this. Nebula glared at the Senate. The course of action they had to take was obvious—band together and hope their combined forces would be enough to defeat Zurg, otherwise face total domination by the emperor. But instead of realising this, the senators were arguing about things like surrender, and if negotiating with Zurg was an option. The Beta Bayouian senator had even made a dark remark suggesting _joining_ Zurg might be a good idea. Their squabbling reminded him of frightened children, though he suspected the Galactic Alliance might be better off in the hands of a kindergarten class than this lot.

"Members of the Senate," Nebula bellowed above the furor, "it took years to build the Galactic Alliance up to what it is today. We can’t surrender. We can’t let Zurg take away all we’ve worked for. Either we stand and fight, or all we’ve accomplished together has been for nothing. Now, I dunno about you, but I’m not ready to give up just yet. Zurg’s got a lot of ships, but so have we. With your help, we can still snatch victory away from him!"

"Few of us have strong military forces," objected the Pachydermian senator. "We’ve always depended on Star Command to protect us."

"Every ship you can spare will make a difference." Before he could add anything else to that statement, Nebula’s communicator started beeping. "Craters. Excuse me." Turning away, he flipped open the panel on his arm. "Nebula here."

Mira’s face appeared on the small screen. "Ranger Nova here, Commander—sorry if I interrupted you. Any luck with the Senate?"

"Not yet," he grunted. "Tell me you’ve got good news."

"I won’t disappoint you, sir—my father’s agreed to let some of the evacuees stay on Tangea, and he’s going to lend military support!"

At least something was going right. _Who’d have thought the day would come when the king of Tangea was more reasonable than the Alliance Senate._ Nebula nodded. "Excellent. Good job, Ranger. Return to Star Command and give Buzz the good news. Nebula out." Shutting the communicator, he faced the senators again. "Members of the Senate," he announced, "one of my Rangers has just informed me that Tangea is going to add their ships to the fleet."

Gasps and startled whispers rippled through the crowd. "Tangea?" Aarrfvox’s eyebrows shot up. " _Tangea_ is lending support?"

"Ayup. They’re the first planet to agree to our request. Kinda puts the rest of you to shame, don’t it?" Nebula folded his arms. "It’s a start, but it’s not enough. We still need more ships. How many of you will help? This is your alliance too, remember. Your hides are all on the line here, just like ours!"

Silence settled over the Senate, and the dignitaries exchanged hesitant glances. Whispers rose in several corners as some debated the matter amongst themselves. The loudest sound in the room was Nebula tapping his foot as he waited for them to make up their minds.

_Stinkin’ politicians_ , he grumbled inwardly. _The longer we delay here, the less time we’ll have to prepare for Zurg’s attack!_

While the other senators were still arguing, Nebula noticed Aarrfvox leave his seat and quietly approach the podium. "I think you may be right," he admitted softly. "Surrender simply isn’t an option—not while there’s still a chance we can fight Zurg off—and the only way we’ll win this is if we stick together. If we can’t even do that... well, then what was this alliance really for in the first place? The president—the late president—would have wanted us to stand united." Breathing in deeply, he nudged Nebula away from the microphone. "Senators," he addressed the crowd, "I would like to announce that Shragarak will be lending its support to the campaign as well. Star Command has my personal assurance that my government will provide them with as many ships as we can spare."

Nebula was as surprised by the gesture as the Senate was, but he nodded gratefully to Aarrfvox as the furry man stepped away from the podium. Surveying the rest of the room, he asked, "Anyone else?"

The question hung in the air for several long moments, then one by one hands slowly began to rise throughout the room. Aarrfox smiled. "The Alliance stands together," he announced proudly.

Nebula sighed with relief. _That’s one hurdle over._ But still so many more to face.


	17. Chapter 16

_"So, you’re Warp Darkmatter?"_

_The young man flinched. He couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from. The room was dark, and whoever had spoken seemed to be circling him like a hungry shark. "Yeah? Who wants to know?" He tried to sound confident, but the cockiness had faded from his attitude the moment he’d been dragged into that room by persons unknown and tied to a chair._

_"I hear you’ve made quite a nuisance of yourself for some of my business associates." The voice wasn’t normal—it sounded strange, almost robotic. "Breaking into warehouses, stealing weapons and valuable files..."_

_Warp gulped. "Hey, you can’t prove that was me! Besides, a guy’s got to make a living somehow, right?" Hot breath touched the back of his neck, but the ropes prevented him from turning around to see who or what was there._

_"Perhaps. There are better ways, though."_

_The mysterious speaker was definitely right behind him now. He cringed. "Yeah, like what? You want me to walk the straight and narrow path or something? Not my style."_

_"Actually," chuckled the voice, "that_ is _exactly what I want you to do."_

_"Huh?"_

_The speaker stepped under the small light hanging from the ceiling, coming into view for the first time. As he emerged from the shadows, Warp made out his general shape—he seemed to be wearing a cape and some sort of dress, and—wait, was that a horned bucket on his head? Then the rest of his features became more apparent. Red eyes which seemed to give off a light of their own, purple clothing, battle armour across the chest, and an ominous yellow Z in the middle. Something clicked in Warp’s mind._ I’ve heard rumours about this guy before _, Warp realised._ What was his name? King Zu— no, _Emperor_ Zurg.

_"I want you to work for me," Zurg announced. "Someone with your considerable talents would be a great asset to my evil organisation."_

_"Work for you?" It only took an instant for the his greedy side to take over. "What would I get out of it?"_

_"Money. A great deal of it. I can pay you far more than you’d ever earn from a few petty burglaries."_

_"And what exactly do you want me to do for you? Steal stuff? Hack into someone’s files?" He wasn’t going to sign up without knowing what he was getting into. Especially when he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. His instincts were screaming at him to say no and run for his life, but the ropes and his curiosity kept him bound to the chair._

_Zurg smiled. "I want you to join Star Command."_

* * *

The pebble rattled across the sidewalk as she kicked it along. Skulking with her hands shoved deep within her pockets and her head held low, Savy SL2 made her way towards her parents’ apartment building. Her mother had made her promise to be home before noon, but as twelve drew nearer, her feet seemed to grow heavier and heavier, and she wanted to turn around and sprint off in the opposite direction. She knew exactly why she had to be home early that day. It was evacuation day. Through their connections with Star Command, her family had gotten themselves a place on one of the ships carrying refugees off Trade World, and the time had come for them to leave for Tangea.

_I don’t want to go_. Savy looked around the scummy streets and alleys that she’d called home all her life. _I don’t care if Zurg’s coming. I’d rather stay here._ Part of her feared that if she left, she might never return. Evil emperors scared her a lot less than being separated from her home. In her tumultuous life, the streets of Trade World had been the one constant. She couldn’t leave them behind. She needed _something_ to cling to.

She’d almost had to leave once—her parents had wanted to move to Capital Planet so she could stay in the Junior Space Rangers, but she’d refused, opting to drop out the Junior Rangers instead and go back to her old life. It was for the best anyway; her parents were struggling to get by, so she’d gotten a job at a robot repair shop. She liked working with machines, the result of having robot parents she supposed, and the pay was good—what more could she ask for? It was a decent life.

Pausing by the entrance to an alleyway, she checked her watch. Still fifteen minutes until noon. Savy fumbled in her jacket pocket and found a cigarette, lighting it and shoving it into her mouth. A few puffs and she felt her nerves calming. She leaned against the wall, removing the cigarette and slowly exhaling a billow of smoke. She didn’t care how she looked to anyone passing by. So what if she was a young street rat, nearly as corrupt and jaded as everyone else on that crooked, scum-infested planet? She liked it that way. If you were going to live on Trade World, you had to act the part. Nice people didn’t make it out there.

And Junior Rangers certainly didn’t.

It was _embarrassing_ that she’d once been one of them... no matter how much she’d enjoyed it. Selling cookies was for losers. She was a girl who’d once taken down one of the worst criminals in the galaxy—a robot who’d almost offlined her parents permanently—and she’d done it with her bare hands. She was a girl who’d escaped the orphanage and lived on the streets alone for years before she was adopted. She was a Trade Worlder, pure and simple, and she wanted to keep it that way.   

Throwing down the stub of the cigarette and stamping it out with her scuffed boot, she stuck her hands in her pockets again and trudged on. The apartment building came into view, and she reluctantly tramped up its steps. In the lobby, her parents were waiting for her, several suitcases in hand. Her mother sighed with relief when she entered.

"There you are, Savy! We were about to go looking for you! It’s time to leave."

She shrugged. "Whatever."

Her father put his hands on her shoulders. "It’s okay, sweetie. We’ll come back after all this is over."

"Yeah, sure." The hands brushed against her bare neck, their cold metal surfaces sending chills down her spine, but she was comforted by the touch all the same. "And when will that be?"

"Soon," her father assured her. "The Space Rangers will take care of things."

She sighed. _I hope so._ She wasn’t counting on it.

* * *

"You call this coffee?!" Warp spat the foul liquid back into the mug, shooting a glare over his shoulder. "A Hornet could make a better a cup of joe!"

The Brain Pod kept its back turned to him and continued to rummage inside the refrigerator. "Make it yourself next time."

"I’ll have to, if this is the best you can do," grumbled Warp. "No sleep last night, and then not even decent coffee in the morning to keep me going!" Maybe that was why he kept playing through all the memories of his past mistakes when he shut his eyes.

"It’s been no picnic for me either." The Brain Pod lifted a box from the fridge. "What’s this? Pizza? Pizza isn’t allowed on Planet Z."

"We’re not on Planet Z, are we? I eat what I want on my ship."

The Pod frowned. "Yes, well, anyway, like I was saying, I’ve had to put up with your crankiness for two whole days. I deserve a medal for that."

"Oh, shut up, 17!"

"See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. What’s your problem?" 17 folded his robotic arms. "Did you have to cancel a date to be here or something?"

Warp clenched his teeth. He wished it were as simple and clear-cut as that. "You know what my problem is?" he snapped. "A certain brain who doesn’t know when to shut up!"

"Touchy." Opening the box, 17 popped the frozen pizza into the microwave. "You should learn to take everything in your stride, like me."

Warp glared. He was in no mood for a pep talk, and definitely not a pep talk from a Brain Pod. "Ugh, just heat the stupid pizza already and leave me alone." He rested his forehead against his palms and ran fingers through his hair.

"Suit yourself." 17 began to hum.

Warp looked up. "Stop that."

"I like to sing while I’m waiting."

"Wait quietly."

"That’s what I’ve been doing for the past two days! Ever since you got here, I’ve had to sit quietly and listen to you complain about everything. I think I’ve earned the right to sing a little."

"How about you earn the right to _shut_ _up._ "

"Make me." The Pod grinned mischievously, continuing to hum.

_Oh, great, this is just what I need._ Accepting the challenge, Warp reached out to grab 17 by the neck, but his hand closed around thin air.

"You can’t catch meee!" taunted 17, scooting around the table. His humming grew louder and more irritating.

"Stop. That." Warp lunged at him, but once again found his reflexes were too slow and 17 had already moved out the way. Slamming face-first into the floor, Warp rolled over and groaned, rubbing his head. "Oh, you’re really going to pay now!"

17 smirked, dancing from side to side. "I’m hearing a lot of talk, but _I’m_ the one who’s still standing!"

"You won’t be for long!" Grabbing the table and pulling himself up, Warp sprang to the left, blocking the Pod’s path. "I’m going to wring your neck!"

"Nice try!" 17 executed a sharp turn and swerved to the right, missing Warp’s outstretched hands by inches. "But you’ll have to do better than that!"

"Oh, I can!" Without stopping to think how ridiculous he looked—a grown man chasing a brain around the galley of a ship—he jumped at 17 again, this time catching him before he could escape and sending him crashing down. They collapsed with a painful thud on the hard floor, and Warp pinned the Brain Pod down before he could weasel out his grasp. "That good enough for you?"

17 groaned. "Okay, you win. Let go of me now? I hear the microwave beeping."

"Fine, truce." Warp helped him back onto his wheels. "Bring on the pizza." While 17 went to open the microwave, Warp returned to his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. The moment of silliness had left him feeling slightly better, and he even reached for the mug on the table to give it another try—only to sniff it and quickly change his mind. "I hope you heat pizzas better than you brew coffee."

"I don’t know, this is my first one!" Bringing out the pizza on a tray, he dropped it on the table. "Dig in!"

Warp picked out the slice with the most mushrooms and held it up, wincing as the heat scorched his fingers. "Smells good, anyway," he decided after examining it closely. "From now on you do the cooking and I do the coffee, deal?"

"Deal." A slot opened beneath 17's bowl, and he shoved a slice in. "So, _now_ are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?"

_Not this again._ "Nothing. I just get cranky when I’m stuck in a ship too long. Cabin fever, you know?"

"So it has nothing to do with the nature of our mission?"

"No." Warp chewed the slice slowly, savouring its taste. _Might as well enjoy the good things in life before everything hits the fan,_ he thought. "Well, not much. Maybe a little."

"Remember, you’ve got the easy part. You just have to give the orders. I’m the one with all the work to do, and let me tell you, I wouldn’t want to be there if _he_ ever got loose!" 17 shrugged. "Besides, there’s not much to worry about. We’ll win—it’s practically guaranteed!"

Warp sighed. "That’s what I’m afraid of." It felt surprisingly good to finally air his thoughts, even if it was only to an annoying Brain Pod. It wasn’t as if he could ever tell Zurg how he felt...

"I don’t understand." 17 was giving him a strange look. "Don’t you want to win? Losing would be unthinkable."

"Oh, yeah, sure, I don’t want to lose." He shuddered at the thought of what would happen to him if Zurg lost—a lifetime in prison? Worse? "I just... I guess I kinda wish we weren’t doing this at all. I don’t know, I’ve got a bad feeling about the whole deal. This isn’t like Zurg’s usual schemes. It’s... it’s bigger..." Shaking his head, he tried to tell himself that he was just afraid something would go wrong, but he had to admit there was more to it than that. Some small part of him felt like he was betraying the Galactic Alliance all over again, and in a far bigger way than before. _People are going to die. Probably civilians._ He remembered the day he’d sworn to protect and defend those people.

Nodding, 17 said, "You’re right, it’s not like his other schemes—this one might actually work! And I for one think that’s a good thing. It’s what we’ve been striving for, isn’t it? With Zurg finally in control, we won’t have to worry about the Space Rangers anymore."

"Maybe." But when it came right down to it, Zurg scared him more than the Space Rangers did any day of the week. What would the emperor be like if he finally had all the power he wanted? "I just don’t like it. I’ll go along with it, but, eh..."

"Well, as long as you do your job, you can worry about it to yourself all you like, if that’s what makes you happy." 17 reached for another slice of pizza. "Hey, look on the bright side—at least we’ll probably get rid of that old partner of yours! If Zurg has his way, by this time tomorrow, Buzz Lightyear and the Galactic Alliance will be history!"

Somehow, that was nowhere near as comforting as Warp was sure the Brain Pod had intended it to be.

* * *

It was a quiet cruiser trip. No one wanted to speak. Buzz’s hand rested on the throttle, and he could feel the pulsing of the ship’s engines through it. Risking a glance at Mira, he saw she was staring blankly ahead, her chin resting in her hand. Buzz rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. Too many sleepless nights were catching up with him. The silence continued.

When the team had reported for duty that morning, ready to help oversee the assembly of the fleet above Capital Planet, Commander Nebula had given them a tired smile and told them they weren’t needed. Buzz had protested at once, and his team did the same—even XR. They craved anything that would keep them busy. Nebula wouldn’t hear it. "You’ve been working nonstop for almost a week," he’d told them. "I need my best team in tiptop shape tomorrow. You’ve all got the day off—and that’s an order!" Then he’d pulled Buzz aside and added, "Son, take your team out somewhere. You can have 42 if you want—she isn’t needed here yet. Go to Cosmo’s, go to the Capital City Zoo, go to Carnyworld for pete’s sake, but go somewhere with them! You four don’t just need rest, you need some time together before all hell breaks loose tomorrow. Things are gonna be rough—take these last hours of peace while you can get ‘em."

So they’d bundled into the cruiser, with barely a word spoken between them, and now they found themselves on their way to Cosmo’s. The ship rattled sometimes along the journey—the LGMs hadn’t quite finished their repairs—but she was spaceworthy enough. Buzz wondered if she’d fare any better at Capital Planet than she had at Jo-Ad.

When the diner came into view at last, empty parking bays stretched across the landing deck, gleaming in the light. Usually they were rarer than a dry day on Bathyos. Now only Cosmo’s delivery shuttle and Sally’s bike filled the spaces.

Buzz set the cruiser down gently and unbuckled himself from his chair. "Well, Team, here we are."

There were a few nods and noncommittal noises from them.

They followed Buzz out the ship, crossing the open parking deck to reach the front entrance. When they walked in, an eerie silence greeted them, replacing the usual chatter and sounds of eating which characterised the galaxy’s friendliest diner. Buzz was just beginning to wonder if the establishment was closed when he heard a squeal of delight.

"Buzz! Mira! Booster! XR!" Sally skated over, her four hands waving. "Hey, Cosmo, we have customers!"

"Morning, Sally," Buzz nodded. "Business a little slow?"

She sighed. "You’re the first people to walk in here all morning. Everyone’s too spooked to leave their homes, I guess."

"What about you?" Mira asked. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, you know," the waitress shrugged. "Worried like everyone else, I suppose. But I know you Rangers—you’ll stop Zurg. You always do!"

Buzz strode to one of their usual tables, taking a seat. His team followed him. "I’ll have the Cosmic Chilli," he said, changing the subject.

"You got it!" Sally turned to the others. "What else?"

Mira chewed her lip. "I’ll have an ice cream sundae," she decided. "With as much chocolate as you can fit on it. Oh, and get me a strawberry hot fudge star cluster as well."

Buzz raised an eyebrow. The Tangean was usually very reserved in her dietary choices.

"Hey, who needs to eat healthy at a time like this?" she defended herself. "Screw salad, I want fudge!"

Nodding, Sally moved on to the other two rookies. "What’ll you be having?"

"You know my usual," grinned XR.

"Ruby’s premium grade rustolia?"

"You betcha!"

Once Sally had taken down Booster’s lengthy order which included half the items on the menu, she skated away and the team was left to their own company again. Buzz drummed his fingers on the table. "Well, guys," he said at last, "it’s nice to have a little break, isn’t it?"

The rookies exchanged glances, and Mira folded her arms. "I guess," she said. "I’d rather be helping out with the fleet, though..."

"Me too," Buzz admitted with a sigh. "But the commander’s right. A little time off won’t do us any harm."

"I just feel so useless," muttered Booster. "My family’s stuck behind enemy lines, and here I am at Cosmo’s..."

"Hey." Reaching across, the table, Buzz put a hand on Booster’s shoulder. "Now don’t you worry. We’re gonna liberate Jo-Ad and every other planet Zurg’s got his filthy hands on, just as soon as tomorrow’s battle is over. Once we defeat Zurg, the lackeys he has running the operation for him will be quick to surrender. We’ll have you and your family back together in no time."

Booster’s eyes were far away, focused on the stars. "I sure hope so, Buzz..."

Propping her elbows on the table, Mira made a huffy noise. "Why are we doing it this way anyway?" she asked.

Buzz looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Zurg’s the one behind this," she said. "You’re right—without him, the others will all surrender at once. He’s the evil mastermind who keeps the show running. If we could somehow slip through enemy lines and get aboard the Dreadnought, we could take out Zurg and then the whole fleet would fall apart!"

There was a brief spark in Buzz’s mind—it was just the kind of daring plan he would have thought of in his younger days, and the sheer audacity of it appealed him. Stopping Zurg’s advance without a shot being fired... wouldn’t that be something? If they pulled it off, so many lives could be saved... But no. He shook his head. "It would never work, Mira."

"It could," she insisted. "We’ve snuck onto the Dreadnought before."

"But not under these conditions. Zurg’s surrounded by a massive fleet—we’d be detected long before we ever got near him."

Mira pouted and folded her arms tighter.

Buzz rubbed his neck, feeling her frustration. There was a time when he wouldn’t have said no. He would have gone after Zurg himself. He wondered if he’d gotten wiser since then or just older. He couldn’t help thinking the man of his youth might have been able to pull it off.

"Ah, here are my four favourite customers!" Cosmo bustled in, a tray in hand, while Sally followed with two more. "Here’s your order, on the house for the heroes who are going to save the Galactic Alliance tomorrow!"

"Oh, no, Cosmo, don’t worry, I’ll cover it," assured Buzz, reaching for his wallet.

"No, no," the reptilian chef waved his hands, "I insist. With no business today, it’s not as if it will make any difference."

The team thanked him profusely, and Buzz swiped his bowl from the tray, his tastebuds almost feeling the sharp sting of the chilli already. If his life held one great pleasure besides Ranger work, it was Cosmo’s cooking. One day he was going to get the chilli recipe out of the man, though he’d been asking for years and Cosmo still hadn’t cracked. Buzz’s own cooking skills weren’t inconsiderable—Nana had taught him everything she knew—and he was sure he could whip up a reasonable batch of Cosmic Chilli if he just had that recipe. _Ah, well._ He lifted a spoonful of chilli to his mouth and let it tingle on his tongue before he swallowed it. It burned his throat all the way down—just the way he liked it. _I’ll get the recipe out of him eventually_. He’d make it his special project once the situation with Zurg was over. If he could stop the evilest emperor in the galaxy, he could make one stubborn chef talk.

Swallowing another mouthful of chilli, he glanced at his teammates. Mira had already finished half her sundae and was wiping chocolate smears from her mouth with a napkin. He knew she had a sweet tooth, but in the past she’d always kept it in check. Booster, meanwhile, was nibbling his food without his usual gusto. XR was holding the can of oil and paging through an old copy of Victoria’s Circuits, but his eyes didn’t really seem to be focused on the pages.

Buzz stirred his spoon through the chilli. "I hear the Alpha Rockets won again last night," he said, deciding to end the lull in the conversation. But he knew Mira and Booster had never cared much for sports and XR was only interested in the gambling side of it. He, on the other hand, had been the captain of the main flyball team back in the Academy, and he and Warp had spent half their free Saturday nights watching basketball games. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Oh? I didn’t know anyone was still playing," Mira shrugged. "I mean, with everything that’s been happening..."

"It keeps peoples’ spirits up," said Buzz, bringing another spoonful of chilli to his lips. "They need to know life’s still going on, same as ever."

XR lowered his magazine. "But for how long?"

Booster whimpered.

"For as long as there are people like us to stop people like Zurg," Buzz said firmly. "We’re gonna beat him tomorrow."

"Yeah..." Mira stared at the floor. "At what cost, though? We got lucky last time—everyone made it back. Even if we do win, do you really think we can get through this without losing anyone?"

Buzz didn’t answer. He didn’t want to tell her she was right. He didn’t want to tell her that people they knew were probably going to die. If they didn’t talk about it, maybe it wouldn’t happen.

"Aw, guys, come on!" Flinging the magazine down on the table, XR stood up. "If we’re going to be this depressing, we might as well have stayed on Star Command. Let’s have some fun! How about some music?" Without waiting for an answer, he rushed to the jukebox. A moment later, a swinging jazz tune killed the silence.

Buzz smiled. If there was one thing he could always count on XR for, it was lightening the mood. The robot had a pessimistic streak, but his fun-loving nature always won out in the end.

"Come on, who’s with me? Who wants to dance? Mira?" XR leaned towards the Tangean, waggling his eyebrows, and to Buzz’s surprise Mira rose, sighing a little, and grabbed the robot’s hands.

"Oh, alright, XR, but if you step on my feet I’m pounding you into scrap!"

"Fair enough." With a sweep of his arms, XR spun her around, and they twirled across the open floor.

"Want to dance, Buzz?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Buzz saw Sally hovering beside him. "Sure," he shrugged, getting to his feet. "I’m a little rusty, though..." How many years had it been? Ozma had certainly never wanted to dance with him. Wasn’t her style—their dates usually involved running from predatory animals. Which could be fun in its own way, he supposed.

He fumbled with Sally’s arms, trying to decide which pair of hands to take. She rested the spare pair on his shoulders. After a few missteps they were gliding over the floor in time to the music, and behind them Mira was giggling in response to some joke XR had made.

Their tempo increased as Buzz realised he was enjoying himself, and Sally was grinning happily. It was almost like everything was fine and perfect in the universe, the way it used to be.

But out the corner of his eye, Buzz could see Booster still sitting at the table, staring vacantly out the window, a morose frown spread across his face. Buzz knew he was thinking about Jo-Ad.


	18. Chapter 17

The trays of uneaten food were starting to smell, and green fuzz had appeared over some of them. She didn’t care. She never asked the Grubs to take them away, so they continued to amass untouched in the corner.

The president hugged the hard pillow on her bunk, her face buried in it. It was a cruel joke of the universe’s that she was still alive. If life were fair, she would be dead and all those poor souls on Rhizome, Verdentia, and every other planet Zurg had attacked would still be alive.

Why didn’t Zurg just kill her? Why prolong the agony?

The bright, shining universe she’d woken up to every day for so long was gone; in its place was a dark emptiness. Words which once meant something like hope, freedom, and goodness had lost their power. She knew they wouldn’t exist in the galaxy Zurg was creating. Everything was crumbling around her, everything she’d spent her life fighting for, and all she could do was feel weak. Letting out a breath, she sunk further into the bunk.

Metallic thumps outside her door told her the Hornets were moving aside. Standing up and straightening her clothes, she waited for whoever was outside to enter. She suspected it was the Grub who brought her meals each day—One-Two, as he was apparently called. Part of her couldn’t help but feel pity for the wretched little creature. He was bright and chipper every day, as if there wasn’t a thing wrong in the universe, and he liked to ask questions about life in the Galactic Alliance. Once or twice she’d found the will to answer and the Grub’s wide eyes had lit up with wonder. He’d always wanted to see the universe, he told her, but he’d been stuck on Planet Z most of his short life. Most Grubs never left its dreary confines until the day they died. "Not me," he said. "I’m Zurg’s personal assistant, so I’m going to live on Capital Planet with him when we get there! In the Alliance Plaza! What’s the Senate building like?"

Her throat had burned too much to answer. Zurg... in the Galactic Senate... _No._

She wanted to bury her face into the pillow again.

The door swished open, but the figure standing in its frame wasn’t a Grub. Zurg glided in, his robes rustling as they swept across the floor. "Madam President."

The sight of him made her feel ill. She’d never believed in hate—she’d always felt it made matters worse rather than solving anything—but it was easy to let it fill her heart now. "Emperor Zurg." Her rage gave her the strength to meet his gaze. Those red eyes seemed to hold the heat of every hell within them. They frightened her. Long ago, she’d been able to laugh at Zurg, but there was nothing funny about him anymore.

"That’s _Evil_ Emperor Zurg to you." He didn’t seem angry, however. The creature clasped his hands together giddily. "I have good news! Oh, you’re going to enjoy this!" He stopped in front of her. "You’ll be going home soon. Yes, that’s right! Capital Planet! There are a few stops we have to make along the way, of course—I’m afraid we have an important date with Trade World, you know how it is—but after that..."

"Wasn’t that your plan all along?" She tried not to let her voice break. "That’s no news to me. You’ll never make it! Buzz Lightyear is gonna stop you dead in your tracks!"

His low chuckle sent a chill down her back. "Ah, my _dear_ Madam President, you really must pick up a newspaper now and then. The situation has changed. Drastically." He shrugged. "A pity I didn’t invite you to watch—then you could have seen it all firsthand."

"What are you talking about?"

"Lighyear’s defeat, of course!"

She froze. "You’re lying." She wanted to raise her fist and bash his smug face in, but she didn’t dare. "I don’t care how big your army is, you would never stand a chance against Ranger Lightyear!"

"Well I beat him not two days ago, so nyah." He leaned closer, leering at her maliciously. "He and those little Star Commandos of his set up a blockade at Jo-Ad. We smashed right through them. Oh, don’t worry, Lightyear got away, and I suppose he’ll put up one last fight when we reach Capital Planet, but if I beat him once, a second victory will only be easier!"

The president felt her knees weaken and she sat on the bed. Buzz Lightyear was her one hope, her one candle in the dark. He’d never failed the Galactic Alliance before, no matter the odds. If Zurg was telling the truth... She swallowed. _What hope is there left?_ For one futile moment she surveyed the room desperately, looking for anything she could use as a weapon. Perhaps if she could somehow bludgeon the emperor to death...

But of course he would never be stupid enough to leave anything dangerous in reach. And even if he had, he was far stronger than she was. How could someone like her hope to slay the dragon? She’d already proven before just how weak she was.

"By the way, I’d like to extend my gratitude to _you_ for your own vital contribution to this little game," continued Zurg. "The defense codes will be _so_ helpful when we reach the defense grid. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you."

_How_ dare _he bring that up!_ She pulled her arms around herself tightly and fought the urge to be sick. "I-I was saving that girl. I would never help you, you... you disgusting _thing!_ "

"Yes, yes, whatever helps you sleep at night. Leave the witty insults to Lightyear, by the way, he’s a lot better at them. Anyway, the fact remains that you _did_ help me." He smiled, taking on the appearance of a coiled viper. "My mother always taught me that good manners were important, so I want to say _thank you._ "

"Go to hell."

The smile widened. "Why bother, Madam President, when I can simply bring it here?"

She grabbed one of the mouldy food trays and flung it at him. He smacked it aside with ease and it clattered to the floor, scattering foul-smelling food everywhere.

"Tsk, tsk, do you know how hard I work to keep this place clean?" Zurg sighed. "What are the sanitation Grubs going to say when they see this mess?"

"Why?" she screamed at him. "You don’t have to do this! Is your existence so sorry you gotta inflict suffering on everyone else just to make yourself happy? Millions of people work hard every day to make the universe a better place! And yet you devote your life to tearing all that down!"

Zurg settled on the sofa, putting his hands around his knees. "Perhaps I’m wiser than the rest of you. I take what I want instead of toiling my life away in some futile system that will never reward me." He rocked back and forth on the chair, chuckling. "It’s easy for you to judge, isn’t it, Madam President? But look at us—who’s winning? I’ll let history decide which of us is right."

"History doesn’t always favour the just," she spat. "Even if you win, you’ll still be wrong."

"Oh, boohoo. So what? Better a wrong winner than a right loser."

She shook her head. "That’s your problem. You can’t see that there are things that matter more than simply winning and getting what you want!"

"Is that so?" He leaned forward. "Have you ever considered that _perhaps_ you and your Galactic Alliance aren’t as righteous as you believe yourselves? That I might be doing the galaxy a favour?"

Her fear had evaporated under the heat of her rage, and she shoved a finger in his face. " _We_ are trying to better the galaxy! You’re trying to conquer it! How can you sit there and think you’re the one on the high ground?"

"‘Better it’, hmm? And what gives you that right? What if the galaxy doesn’t _want_ your help?"

"We respect the wishes of every world we approach. We don’t interfere where we’re not wanted! You’re the one who’s forcing your will onto the rest of the galaxy!"

His eyes flashed. "Oh please, I’m just more honest about my intentions than you are! Look at your conformist little alliance—every world within has to submit to _your_ rules, _your_ policies, _your_ Rangers. All for the promise of protection against the likes of me. Isn’t that right, Madam President?" He sneered. "That’s what’s so deliciously hypocritical about the whole system. You’d be nothing without me—without the big bad emperor just waiting to take over all those innocent worlds, who can only be stopped by your fearless Rangers."

The conversation was a trap. She knew he was trying to trip her up—it would be better not to play his game at all. But she couldn’t let his challenge stand. "Well that’s who you _are_ , isn’t it?" Her voice was sharp as a Raenok’s dagger. "How many planets have you conquered? How many species have you slaughtered? Your empire covers half the Zeta Quadrant! And you’re trying to make _us_ into the villains for protecting all the poor folk you haven’t attacked yet?"

"Oh, don’t pretend your motives are as noble as that. Maybe Lightyear believes that nonsense, but you’re a politician—you know what the game really is." He clasped his gauntlets together. "You send your representatives to prospective members and fill them with tales of my evil, until they’re tripping over themselves to join the Galactic Alliance, because sacrificing their independence is better than being enslaved by me. But you don’t care about protecting them, do you? You just want to expand your _own_ empire." His laughter rang out. "‘Making war under the cover of peace. That is as low as it gets.’ Words of wisdom from the great Buzz Lightyear himself, during that Heed incident. Perhaps you should bear them in mind."

She bit her tongue in anger. "It’s not true! Of course there are politics involved, there always are, but we _care_ about our members! Your empire is just for you! The Alliance is for the _people_ , not the other way around!"

"Tell that to the Bathyosians," Zurg tittered. "Did you know that at present mining rates, they’ll be out of fusion crystals in twenty years? Or that a third of their seabeds will be uninhabitable thanks to pollution from the mines? The whole underwater surface will be covered in cracks and holes. Seems to me they aren’t seeing too many benefits from Alliance membership."

"We’re working on mining reforms," she snapped. "I’ll admit the situation has been mishandled, but they’re still better off than they’d have been without our protection—the Raenoks were on the verge of invading when they joined!"

"And then the brave Galactic Alliance swooped in to save them. Yes, I’ve heard it all before. I do wonder though if you would have been as quick to come to their rescue if their planet _hadn’t_ been rich in natural resources." He leaned back. "What about the people of Beta Bayou? Their old traditions are dying out thanks to Alliance ‘reforms’—and let’s not forget the Gargantians. Another culture which has been absorbed into the great bland hegemony of the Alliance. Who cares about independence as long as you’ve got Pizza Planet, eh?"

The president rose from the bed and paced across the room. "Why am I even listening to this? You have no right to act so sanctimonious when you’ve wiped out whole worlds! You care nothing for these people—you’re just trying to use the Alliance’s shortcomings to justify yourself, but our darkest moments still can’t compare to _any_ of the things you’ve done!"

"Oh really?" he snarled. "I may be evil, Madam President, but I don’t hide it—it’s even in my name. Everyone knows who I am. Do they know who you are?"

Taking a deep breath, she faced him, her hands on her hips. "We may not be perfect, but we _try_. We’re fighting for good, and that means more than all your ‘honesty’ ever will!"

"Oh, and what _is_ good?" He seemed to be taking a different tack. "Is it something objective, or is it something people like you call yourselves so you can claim superiority over people like me? It’s funny how the people who talk about morality always believe _they’re_ the ones on the right side of it."

"Maybe so, but even a Vulturan would know that _you’re_ on the wrong side," she hissed.

"The _evil_ side, yes." He stood up. "Wrong? That’s a matter of opinion. Perhaps the whole system is upside-down. _I_ stand by my principles—you’re the ones who profess to be moral but happily toss those morals aside when they inconvenience you!"

"That’s a lie!’

"Oh? Tell me, what is your highest principle? Respect for sentient life? Yet this respect doesn’t extend to those who disagree with you, does it—to those who oppose you? When has your Alliance ever accorded _me_ any of this respect?"

"You don’t deserve any!" She wrinkled her nose. "You’re nothing but a tyrant—a monster!"

"Easy to find ways around your principles, isn’t it? Brand those you don’t like as somehow lesser than you, and you can treat them however you want." He smiled. "At least my view is consistent. I treat _everyone_ as inferior, simply because I can. Power is what gives us our authority, Madam President, not morality."

Her fists tightened. She wasn’t sure if his words were what maddened her most, or the conviction with which he spoke them. Somehow it had never occurred to her that he actually believed the evil spiel he was always spouting. Over the years, she’d become well acquainted with people corrupted by darkness, but most were either numb to morality or had convinced themselves their actions were still somehow acceptable. Zurg, however, could not only feel the evilness of his actions, _he embraced it_. For a moment she almost pitied his delusion. "That doesn’t make you superior," she answered at last. "It just means you’ve sunk so low you don’t even _try_ to do better anymore!"

"Oh, please. Can the self-righteousness, Madam President. I’ve had enough of that from Lightyear to last a lifetime." Amusement seemed to glitter in his eyes. "Ah, Lightyear... You know, if any one of you pathetic do-gooders actually comes close to living out your philosophy of justice and goodwill, it’s that meddlesome boy scout. Perhaps that’s why he and I have always understood each other... even shared a certain professional respect. We both stand by our beliefs."

Her anger flared again. "Ranger Lightyear would never respect you—he hates you just as much as everyone else does, probably more!"

"And I loathe _him_ , make no mistake—there’s nothing I’m looking forward to more than watching him go through the agony of defeat and then ripping his life away from him after we take Capital Planet." Zurg shrugged. "But still, credit where credit is due. He’s always been my greatest foe."

"He’ll stop you," she said in a hoarse whisper. "I don’t know how, but he’ll stop you. The universe won’t let you win."

"Do you really think the universe cares about our little battle of good versus evil?" Zurg circled around her. "The cosmos never helped me when I was like you, and it won’t help you now."

She snorted. "You were _never_ like us! I don’t know what rock you crawled out from under, but I can’t imagine you ever being anything other than the cold, twisted freak you are now! Why _would_ the universe be on your side?"

Zurg seemed to wince and his hand jerked up, hesitating a moment and then slamming into the side of her head. The gauntlet was as hard and cold as usual, but it seemed to sting less than it had the first time he had struck her. Maybe she was getting used to it. The force of the blow sent her reeling backwards, however, and she tumbled to the floor. "You know nothing!" the emperor hissed.

With a groan, she picked herself up, steadying her body against the sofa. Her heart was pounding but she met Zurg’s gaze without flinching. _I won’t be intimidated by you_. The blow had reminded her that while she could argue with him all she liked, she was still at his mercy and alive only as long as he wished it. All it would take was a shift in his fickle moods and he could have her killed in an instant. But he couldn’t break her spirit unless she let him, and after everything else he’d done, giving him that satisfaction was just too much. "I know what I see," she answered. "And I don’t see a trace of goodness in you, not one tiny bit. I used to think no one could be pure evil, but I was wrong. No one who was ever good could turn into such a monster! They’d still have some shred of conscience left in ‘em!"

Zurg drew closer, his eyes narrowing, the yellow centres burning bright. "How would you know? Do you really see me, or do you only see what you want to see—what your mind tells you you should see, because the reality might upset your nice, cosy Galactic Alliance ideology?" He snorted. "Tell me, Madam President, what _do_ you see? A villain? A ‘monster’ or ‘freak’, as you so aptly put it?"

She paused. Her eyes ran over Zurg, taking him in as if for the first time. The robes, the stiff posture, the tensed hands, the sneering face with those volcanic eyes, and finally the devilish horns. "Just a man," she answered at last, earning a look of surprise from him. "A mad, pathetic man who hates the universe for reasons he probably doesn’t even know himself and hides behind armies and minions and ships. A man who’s too afraid to even show his own face to the world."

The silence that followed was so abrupt it startled her. Zurg said nothing, but his eyes were fixed on her so intently, a red glow shimmering around their edges, that she rubbed her skin involuntarily, her mind flashing back to the scorching agony he’d put her through only a few days before. The emperor flexed his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists. The president held her breath.

"And you’re sure of that, are you?" Zurg whispered.

Her voice didn’t falter. "Yes."

"You think you know me?" The quiet was roughly shattered as he threw his head back and laughed. It was a forced, raspy sound, quite unlike his usual maniacal mirth. "Everything you know is wrong. You don’t see me at all."

The president didn’t allow herself to be unnerved by the strange edge to his voice. Zurg had been leading the conversation for too long, and finally she was on the offensive. "Oh, is that right? Prove it. Maybe _you’re_ the one seeing only what you want to see—when was the last time you looked in the mirror?" Her lips pulled back in a scowl. "Or does the sight frighten you?"

He tightened his fists. "I’m _proud_ of what I see. I worked hard for this. I clawed my way up from _nothing_ , and look where I am now!"

"Proud, huh?" she scoffed. "Then why all the facades? It’s easier to be a monster when you _look_ like one, ain’t it? I think you’re ashamed of what you see. Would a proud man hide his face behind a mask?"

"This _is_ my FACE!" The words reverberated between the metal bulkheads. Zurg’s features were twisted in a snarl that would have made a narlzak flinch, and for one moment his eyes flashed with a red light that filled the whole room. Then he turned away.

The president was left with both mouths hanging open, and her brow creased. It was a simple statement, but the implications refused to register. _He’s lying_. She seized on the idea as soon as it entered her mind. _Of course he is—he must be._ "You think I’m gonna believe that? I’m the president of the Galactic Alliance—I’ve personally spoken to representatives of every significant power in the galaxy! I’d remember if I saw another face as ugly as yours, so don’t you try to con me with that story!"

"I never said I was from this galaxy." His voice was quiet now.

She didn’t know what to say. "I don’t believe you." The question of what Zurg really looked was not something she’d given much thought to, but there had always been the underlying assumption that the face he wore was a mask. His species didn’t matter—human, Rhizomian, Braxan, Raenok, or even Phlegmian—she didn’t care. But for him to be something she’d never even heard of, something completely outside her frame of reference... _From another galaxy_ , she thought. It left her cold. _Zurg was right... everything I thought I knew is wrong_.

Which meant she knew nothing about the man standing in front of her, and not knowing terrified her.

His back was still turned to her, outlined rigidly against the black cloth of his cape. "Believe whatever you want, Madam President. I don’t care." Layers of pretenses seemed to have fallen away for a brief moment, and he no longer looked quite so imperious and threatening. "But if you repeat a word of this to anyone, I’ll snap you in two with my bare hands."

"What does it matter if people know?" She studied him, still trying to judge if he was telling the truth or not. Could that really be his face? She’d seen stranger species, but at least with them she had the comfort of knowing where they came from. Zurg was now a blank page to her.

"Knowledge is power," he said. "And I’m not in the habit of giving power to my enemies."

So why had he told her? Was it anger, or was he seeking understanding? She had so many questions, and she wondered when she would have another chance to ask them. "What are you doing here, if you’re from outside this galaxy? Intergalactic travel isn’t like crossing the solar system to the local Galaxy-Supermart. How did you get here, hmm?"

His shoulders stiffened and he twisted around slowly, meeting her gaze. "Didn’t you hear what I just said? Last I checked, you were the enemy. This conversation is over!" He draped his cape over one arm and swept out the room with a flourish, pausing in the doorway. "We _must_ do this again some time." And just like that he was gone, the doors sliding closed behind him.

The president stared after him, startled in part by the abruptness of his departure, but perhaps more by the revelations she’d received. _Who is he_? she wondered. It was only later, when the Grub came to bring her her meal, that she remembered the reason for Zurg’s visit and the grave threat the Alliance she’d loved so much was facing.

Another tray ended up in the corner, untouched, while she lay on her bunk and sobbed for the people of the Galactic Alliance. The people she’d let down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy, this chapter has been through more rewrites than any other part of the story. So many overhauls, but I'm finally sort of satisfied with it. 
> 
> Zurg's "not a mask" reveal won't be a surprise to those who know me, since it's been the theory I've found most compelling for a long time now, but hopefully those less familiar with the idea can get onboard with it. Zurg is a great character to play with, because there's so little set in stone about him, so there's room for many different interpretations.


	19. Chapter 18

A whirl of colours greeted her as the transport’s hatch swung open. Fresh, alien smells drifted in, so completely different from the thick, dirty smog of Trade World and the stale air of the ship that Savy almost felt light-headed when she inhaled. Birdsongs and insect chirps sounded in the distance, and wind rustled through the lush foliage

Already the passengers were thronging around the hatch impatiently, practically stampeding when the steps were lowered. Following her parents, a duffel bag filled with her things slung over her shoulder, Savy squeezed into the line and finally exited the ship. Her boots echoed metallically as she hopped down each step, squelching when she reached the damp earth at the bottom. "Mom, Dad," she called up, concerned. "Are you gonna be okay here?" When you’d lived and worked with robots as long as she had, you started thinking about things that were never an issue for organics, like rocks her mother would have trouble sliding over and mud which might get into her father’s gears. She wondered if anyone had taken these things into consideration when they selected the site for the refugee camp—probably not. No one ever thought about robots.

"We’ll manage," her mother assured her. "Come, let’s find the settlement."

She followed them, staring around the overgrown landing site and wondering why she’d ever let herself be taken away from Trade World.

* * *

"How many more of these passenger transports are coming?" King Nova pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, staring over the edge of the balcony at the scene below. Another ship was being unloaded, the assortment of Trade World riffraff being wearily led towards the campsite Star Command had set up. Flocks of birds were rising from the trees and squawking angrily at the invasion of their jungle. Nova didn’t blame them.

"Three more are scheduled to arrive in the next two hours," the Space Ranger overseeing the operation told him. The man spoke with an air of professionalism, but the king had noted his smile was always a little too thin and he paced like one stuck in a cage. Nova wondered just how much he wanted to be on Tangea looking after evacuees.

Resting his hands on the top of his cane, the king squinted at the people on the ground. "I hope you have room for all of them in the settlement, Ranger Parsec. I won’t have any of them here in the palace—I made that quite clear."

"Don’t worry, it shouldn’t be a problem," the man shrugged. "Things’ll be a little tight, but they can handle that for a day or two. After that, assuming all goes well, they can return to their homes."

"And if all _doesn’t_ go well?"

Parsec’s eyes narrowed. "Hey, we’re gonna win this one. We’ll stop Zurg. We have to."

Leaving the balcony, Nova treaded slowly across the room, settling in the creaky seat beside his desk. "Tell me, Ranger, have you ever met the Evil Emperor Zurg?"

"A few times. Can’t say we really hit it off."

Nova nodded. "I’ve met the man a couple of times myself. Once as his prisoner, when he tried to take over my world, and once on Planet Z, when I came to rescue my daughter." He leaned forward, his fingers laced together. "Let me tell you, Parsec, there are not many things in this universe that frighten me—when you have to face down a council full of old windbags and schemers and wheedling bootlickers every day, you learn you can face almost anything. But Emperor Zurg is not someone I would care to underestimate."

"We can handle him."

"Like you did at Jo-Ad?"

The Ranger’s face darkened. "Hey, I wasn’t even there!"

"Oh, forgive me, it wasn’t a recrimination," Nova assured him. "The stakes are far too high for us to go around pointing fingers, tempting as it is. But I must ask—if you Rangers couldn’t stop him then, how will you stop him now?"

"We’ve got the whole Alliance standing behind us this time. It’s gotta work."

Nova sighed. "I hope you’re right." Steepling his hands, he glanced out the balcony, looking skyward. Somewhere up there was his daughter. He’d hoped Mira would be the one to oversee the evacuees, but obviously she’d had other work to do. He made a mental note to try to call her that evening. It would be his last chance before the battle. _Why did that foolish child ever get the notion of becoming a Space Ranger?_ His disapproval of her career had melted into pride over the years, but all he cared about now was her safety. Would she be alright?

"You okay, Your Highness?"

He turned back to Parsec. "Sorry. Lost in thought." Studying the human, he asked, "Do you have any family, Ranger?"

Parsec shook his head. "Eh, no one close. Not anymore. My dad passed away a few years ago."

"No children then?"

He shrugged. "This isn’t an easy career for someone who wants a family. Some people manage it—my friend Rocket’s got a wife and a little kid—but most of us end up marrying the job."

"I know the feeling," Nova smiled sadly. "Free time has never been a luxury of mine either. I regret that now. My first duty has always been to my people, but I sometimes think I owed my daughter a little more."

"Well, there’s always the future, right, Your Highness?"

"Is there?" Nova laid his hands on the wooden desk, his fingers touching the curled parchment of some stray papers. Old. The furniture, the paper, the room—everything was old. Even himself. "Lately I’ve begun to wonder about that. What future will we have?" And would he get to spend his with Mira?

Parsec didn’t say anything.

"Will you be at the fight, Ranger?" Nova asked.

The man’s face clouded briefly. "I dunno. Hope so. Not that it’s gonna be pretty, but I _should_ be there."

"I wish you luck." Nova stroked his moustache. "When you go back to Star Command, tell Ranger Lightyear—" he saw Parsec roll his eyes, but he didn’t understand the reaction and dismissed it "—tell him to keep Mira safe."

Parsec rested his elbows on the desk and leaned forward. "No offense, Your Highness, but I think Ranger Nova is capable of looking after herself."

"Of course she is." The king smiled a little. "She always has been. But I’m her father. I worry about her."

"I understand." Parsec shrugged, returning the smile. "You know, I gotta tell you, I’ve heard a lot of stories about certain Tangean... attitudes. But I’m beginning to think maybe they were wrong. You’re okay."

A chuckle slipped through the king’s lips. "Hardly. Whatever you’ve heard is probably true, and worse besides. We aren’t an easy people to talk to, Ranger Parsec." Rising, Nova’s short, steady strides brought him back to the balcony. "But conceit and isolationism are dying luxuries in this universe. My daughter’s right—the time has come for change. Evolve or die, as they say. That’s how life works."

The Space Ranger shrugged again. "Well, it’s a good thing Tangea’s got Ranger Nova. If anyone can lead your people into a new age, it’s her."

Nodding, Nova sighed and stared down at the trail of evacuees wandering through the camp below. "Yes. Of course. She’ll... she’ll be a great queen one day."

_One day_. No two words had ever sounded so uncertain to the king before.

* * *

"Aw, c’mon, XR!" Mira panted, the crate slipping from her fingers. "A little help over here!"

"Sheesh, alright, I’m coming!" The robot grabbed the other end of the box, and together they carried it to the far end of the storage bay.

Setting it down with a thunk, Mira wiped her brow and sat down. "When was the last time Buzz cleaned out this compartment?"

"Last millennium, by the look of this dust," XR tsked. He glanced around the cramped room. It was dimly lit and strewn with boxes and other odds and ends—many of them things which had been tossed into the bay and promptly forgotten about. "Boy, we sure have a lot of junk down here. Remind me again why you thought this was a good idea? We could be spending our last hours partying, but _no_ , we’re cleaning out the storage hold!"

She shrugged. "We don’t want this stuff rattling around and getting broken tomorrow, do we? Besides, it’s something to do, right? You can go back inside to Cosmo’s if you want."

"Nah, I guess I’ll stay and help." XR lowered his eyes to the floor. "Booster’s... well, the big guy’s looking a little gloomy..."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Mira sighed. "It’s rough for him right now, with Jo-Ad under Zurg’s control. But i-it’ll be okay tomorrow, once we defeat Zurg..."

"Yeah."

Picking herself up and dusting her legs off, Mira turned to the rest of the mess. "Come on, let’s see what else is down here." Something cracked underfoot as she walked through the field of junk. "Better watch your step, XR. Craters, what is this?" She knelt to see what she had stepped on.

"Hey, isn’t that the glow-in-the-dark crystal mermaid sculpture I picked up at the flea market on Musaria II?" XR frowned as Mira held up the shattered object. "I gave it to you for your birthday. It made music when you pressed the button, remember?"

She rolled her eyes. "I remember."

"I thought you said it got lost on a mission." XR tapped his dome suspiciously. "What’s it doing down here? And why is the orange tie I got Buzz last Holiday in that corner over there—with the polka dot socks I got for Booster?"

"Oh, well, uh, gee, look—isn’t that our old photo album over there?" Tossing away the sculpture, Mira grabbed a dusty, leather-bound book from the floor and blew over the pages. Coughing, she dropped onto one of the crates and opened it. The pages were stiff and the edges had begun to fray. "Gosh, how long’s this been down here?"

"I don’t think I’ve seen it for at least a year." XR sat beside her. "Look, there’s me with XL and Pop at the Star Command family picnic! Remember what a great day that was? Well, except for Pop not buying us any cotton candy..."

"You’re _robots_. You don’t eat."

"But everyone else had some! It wasn’t fair!"

Mira rolled her eyes again. "At least you actually got to go with your dad. Father put his foot down the moment I mentioned the words ‘picnic’ and ‘sack race’."

"Pity, just imagine the publicity that could’ve brought us. ‘Reigning monarch of Tangea visits Star Command picnic, cheats at sack race’—picture below of ol’ King Nova shoving Rocket Crockett’s seventy-year-old mother out the way as they cross the finish line.’

"Oh, please, you know my father would never do that," Mira laughed.

"You’re right—it’d mean he’d have to touch an outworlder."

Mira smacked him playfully across the dome and XR grinned back at her. They turned back to the album and leafed through more pages. "Look, that’s us on Mahambas VI," said Mira, pointing to a photograph of the team sprawled out on the shining yellow sand. "And here’s a picture from Booster’s birthday party last year."

"Remember how much the catering on _that_ one cost," XR sniggered. He looked at the wide smiled stretched across the Jo-Adian’s face, and a pang of sadness shot through his circuitry. Mira seemed to feel it too, and quickly turned the page.

"And there’s Buzz and Ozma out on their first official date at Cosmic Crunchies—wait, who took this picture? XR, you and Booster didn’t follow Buzz by any chance, did you?" She looked at him sternly.

"Well, uh..." XR twiddled his thumbs. "Look, we just wanted to make sure they were having a good time! And c’mon, look, we captured this great moment for posterity! Granted, afterwards Buzz saw us peaking over the plant pot and we got a really long Lightyear Lecture, not to mention a week’s septic duty, but it was worth it! Ozma thought it was hilarious."

"Uh-huh, sure." She turned the page. "Aww, look, it’s the Star Command Holiday party! Man, remember how drunk Flarn got last year?" she giggled.

"No punch for the red guy this year, that’s for sure!"

"And—and, like, remember how Sprocket only had one glass of champagne but Rocket totally freaked out?" Mira sank against the wall, still giggling. "And then Sprocket’s partner Lenny was like, ‘Come on, Rocket, he’s not a kid anymore, he can drink,’ and Rocket just gave him that _glare_ and poor Lenny practically hid under the table."

"Wasn’t that also the time Turner and Sal made out under the mistletoe for like, ten whole minutes?" grinned XR.

"Oh, yeah, it totally was! And that was the year half of us fell asleep during Buzz’s annual Holiday speech—gosh, remember his face! We didn’t hear the end of that one for months!"

"Hey, it was easy for you—you could blame it on the punch! I had to explain why I’d turned myself off," XR laughed. "Lemme tell you, Buzz Lightyear is not a man you want to cross, especially after he spent three weeks practising that speech in the shower."

Mira rocked with laughter. "I’ll bet. Man, we’ve had some good times, haven’t we?"

"The best," XR agreed.

The Tangean hugged her knees. "You know, even with... with the battle tomorrow... I wouldn’t trade this for anything. These have been the best years of my life."

"Mine too," XR nodded. "Well, okay, they’ve also been the _only_ years of my life, but..."

Smiling, Mira slipped an arm around him. Once that would have thrilled him, but somehow he knew the moment wasn’t right to let his flirtatious side take over. He merely leaned his dome against her shoulder, finding her closeness reassuring.

"No matter what happens," Mira whispered, "I’m not going to let Zurg take this away from us. You three are my best friends—if Zurg thinks he can mess with Team Lightyear, he’s got another thing coming."

XR nodded. He tried to imagine another life—one without his team. It was impossible. _Mira’s right_ , he thought, nestling closer to her. _Nothing can stop Team Lightyear_.

* * *

_I hate this place_. Sneezing, Savy dropped her bag and flung herself onto an overturned box, putting her chin in her hands. She shivered as a cold breeze slipped through the thin fabric of the hastily-assembled tent and brushed against her face. "Would it have been too much to ask to be sent to a planet where people actually have proper settlements on the ground?" she complained to her parents.

"The Grounders live on the surface here," her father answered absently, setting up a sleeping bag and two charging units.

"Then why couldn’t we have stayed with them instead of camping out in the jungle? Achoo!" Wiping her nose, Savy stood up. "Great time to discover I have pollen allergies, huh?" With her hands shoved into her pockets, she pushed through the tent flaps and marched into the main campsite.

The place was bustling with activity as people set up shelters and collected food from the supply tent, and at every corner there seemed to be a Star Command official waving their hands about and giving orders. Pots clanked, people shouted, children were crying, and birds called to each other in alarm in the sky above. Another gust of wind brought on a fresh fit of sneezing, and Savy had to pull up her collar over the lower half of her face. _I really hate this place._

"Hey, little lady!" She scowled at the title. "Are you here on your own?" One of the officials was looking at her with a concerned expression.

"No. My parents are in there." She jerked a thumb towards her tent.

"Okay. Stick close to them—don’t leave the campsite. It’s dangerous out there," said the overseer, glancing towards the thick jungle around them. "If you need anything, let me know."

"I’m good. Actually, wait..." Taking a cigarette out her pocket, she held it up to him. "Got a light? No?" Smirking at the way the man squirmed, she pulled out her own lighter. "Never mind, I’ve got one. See you."

She took a few puffs of the cigarette and strolled through the muddy clearing, heading for the treeline without even realising it. When she found herself on the edge of the jungle, she paused. She didn’t know her way around, or what kind of dangerous animals might be in there, not to mention people... "Aw, why not?" she shrugged, pushing on. "It can’t be that bad."

It was even colder under the trees, with so little sun shining through the thick canopy of leaves, and she pulled her jacket closer. Insects chirped all around, some sounding louder and bigger than they had any right to. Savy had never been squeamish around bugs before, but the roaches of the city were easily stepped on. She didn’t know what to expect from the strange fauna of this world.

_Where am I even going?_ Pushing aside some bushes, she slogged on, glancing back to make sure she wouldn’t lose her way. "Achoo! Stupid plants," she growled.

Fallen trees and dead branches were scattered across the forest floor, their lichen-covered bark cracked and peeling. To avoid the muddy ground, she jumped onto these, hopping from log to log as she went along. The butt of her cigarette was tossed away after she took one last puff, and it fizzled out in the mud.

"Are you in or aintcha, baby?" Savy stopped. Who had spoken? The voice seemed to be coming from up ahead. Crouching low, she snuck quietly through the jungle, keeping her senses alert. The damp leaves littering the ground masked her footsteps. She stopped every few paces, listening. Several voices seemed to answer the first, but they were rougher, more guttural, and she couldn’t make out what they were saying.

"You sure about that? We could have it made, boys!"

Savy crept closer. The voices were just beyond the next row of bushes—it looked like there was a clearing ahead.

"Shu-shu no, boom. We no flo-bo du-ru."

What did that mean? Savy wrinkled her nose in confusion. Peeking over the tops of the bushes, her eyes widened. Grounders—she’d seen one or two on the streets of Trade World and recognised them easily, but even if she hadn’t, it would’ve been obvious they were natives of Tangea. The simple, well-weathered clothing they wore fitted right in with their surroundings, and there was something in the way they held themselves that told her this was their home ground. Speaking to them was a yellow, four-limbed alien. He seemed familiar—where had she seen his face before? It looked like one of the many that appeared on the faded wanted posters pasted all over the city.

"Why not?"

"Too dangerous." The Grounders shook their bald heads in unison.

"You dunno how powerful my partner is, Jack," assured the yellow alien, folding his upper set of arms. "We stick with him and we can’t lose!"

What were they talking about? Savy leaned closer. Whatever it was, she would bet any money it wasn’t legal. Not that that bothered her, but it did mean she had to be careful.

"Who is he?" the tallest Grounder, apparently the leader, asked, his accent less thick than the others.

"Uh-uh-uh, not so easy, boom boy." The alien wagged his finger at them. "You only get his name when you join the party. So are you in, sweetheart?"

Savy listened intently, straining her ears to hear what their answer would be. Another breeze danced through, ruffling the tops of the bushes and blowing them against her face. "Aaa—" _No, not now! Craters, not now!_ "ACHOO!"

The attention of the Grounders and the alien was immediately directed towards her. She scrambled backwards, trying to get to her feet. _Aw, crap!_ She couldn’t stop sneezing.

"Grab her!" Within seconds, two pairs of strong brown arms had clamped around her wrists and she was dragged into the clearing.

"Hey, let me go!" She writhed and kicked, biting down on one of the hands and receiving a sharp blow to the side of her head. "I wasn’t doing anything! Let me go!"

The alien held up a hand, motioning for the Grounders to release her, though one kept a hand on her shoulder as a warning not to bolt. "Whoa, what have we got here?" The alien’s five eyes focused on her, and he stepped closer. "Whatcha doing all the way out here, kiddo? Shouldn’t you be back at the camp, scamp?"

"Wait, you know about the settlement?" Savy raised an eyebrow. "Funny, I don’t remember seeing you among the passengers on the transport. Who are you?"

"Name’s Torque, squirt." The alien held out one of his lower hands, and Savy looked at it disdainfully. The Grounder nudged her, and she scowled and shook it. "And you are?" Torque asked, grinning at her annoyance.

"Savy." She pulled her hand away and folded her arms. "I suggest you let me go before my parents come looking for me."

Laughter burst out amongst the party of thugs. "Ooh, your parents! I’m real scared, baby!" Torque smirked. "Sorry, no can do. How much did you hear while you were hiding out there?"

Savy shrugged. "Not much. Nothing I’d tell anyone. I don’t care what you’re doing—it’s no business of mine. I just want to get out of here."

"Haha, smart kid." Reaching into his coat, Torque pulled out a gun. "Not happening. Too risky, brat. Looks like you’re stuck with us for awhile."

"Don’t be so sure." Twisting out of the Grounder’s grip, she kicked the blaster out Torque’s hand and charged across the clearing, her heart pounding. Something blue hidden amongst the foliage caught her eye, and she headed for it. A bike. Exactly what she needed.

Pulling away the bushes, she leaped onto the bike and opened a panel on the side. "Craters, it’s been so long since I hotwired one of these!" A quick glance told her she only had seconds before her pursuers would be upon her, so she worked fast. "Switch these wires around, disable the security system..." Pressing down on the gas pedal, she started the engine. The bike roared to life and she grabbed the handlebars, her short body forced to stretch out to reach them—reminding her once again that, no matter how much she resented it, she was just a kid. "Come on, come on!" Just as the thugs got to her, she pulled the bike up, leaving them shouting angrily in her dust.

"I gotta get back to camp," she told herself, trying to keep calm. "Camp, camp, which direction was that? Craters." Next time she decided to take a little nature walk, she’d slap herself hard in the face first.

"Get back here with my bike!" It sounded like she’d made the alien mad. Several green laser pulses narrowly missing her head confirmed that suspicion.

"Can’t this stupid thing go any faster?!" Her foot pressed down harder on the gas.

Another shot whizzed past, then there was an explosive bang and she was almost flung off the bike as it shuddered and began to plummet down. "Ahh!" She gripped the handlebars tightly, unable to regain control of the vehicle, and shut her eyes as she waited for the crash.

When it came, she was thrown off the bike the moment it slammed into the ground, and ended up some distance away on a patch of grass which cushioned her fall. She skidded across the ground, the skin on her bare hands scraping away. "Ugghhh." Her body hurt too much to rise, so she just lay there, waiting for whatever would happen to happen.

Torque bent over her and yanked her up by the scruff of her neck, his mouth set in a scowl. "Look what you did to my bike, brat! It’s trashed, baby!" The blue vehicle lay in a crumpled heap on the ground, the engine blown out.

"You shot it down," muttered Savy, wiping a drop of blood from her lip.

"You stole it!" He glared down at her. "How does a kid like you even know how to do that?"

"Like I had a choice." She frowned. "Come on, do you think it’s the first time I’ve ever stolen anything? I’m from _Trade World_!" Gazing at the bike, the wheels in her mind began to turn. "Besides, technology’s kind of my thing. In fact, you let me go, and I can fix that bike for you, free of charge."

Protests erupted from the Grounders, who were looking at her like they wanted to use her as live target practice—which could’ve been true, for all she knew—but Torque was still staring in dismay at his busted vehicle.

"I swear I’m good with this stuff," Savy insisted. "I can have that bike good as new in no time, give or take a few dents. I’m sure you know how much it would cost to take it into the shop. Besides," she pleaded, "if I can’t fix it, you can just shoot me afterwards. What do you have to lose?"

"Hmm..." Torque rubbed his chin. "Okay, kiddo, you might just have yourself a deal. If you really are some techno whizz like you say, maybe I won’t let these goons zap you." He grinned. "Who knows, I might have more than one job for you to do—my boss is looking for someone with your skills.."

Oh, great, what _had_ she gotten herself mixed up in? "Sure." Savy shrugged, trying to look casual. "Why not?"


	20. Chapter 19

He didn’t remember the streets of Capital Planet ever being so quiet, even at night. Buzz’s boots thumped on the sidewalk as he headed for home, a row of street lamps lighting his way. The roads were empty, lending the night an eerie stillness which set his senses on edge. Many of the storefronts lining the street seemed to be closed for business, and those that were open housed few customers. It was as if the whole world had gone into hiding that night.

Could he blame them? Flicking a moth out his eyes as he passed underneath a lamp, Buzz paused to survey the shadowed city. In mere hours, the peace and prosperity the citizens of Capital Planet enjoyed would be shattered. When next they dared venture from their homes, they might find their city in ruins—the skyscrapers reduced to rubble, blast holes filling the roads, and Hornets swarming amongst the carnage. The nightmare everyone had been dreading for so long.

It was his duty to see that that didn’t happen.

He wondered if anyone knew how heavy that responsibility felt as it weighed on his shoulders. Millions—no, billions—were counting on him to keep them safe. He and the forces he would be commanding the next day were the only things standing between the Galactic Alliance and the Evil Emperor Zurg.

And he’d already failed once.

A whisper of wind brushed over the road, sending a discarded newspaper tumbling across the tarmac, its rustling pages the loudest sound echoing through that deserted street. The city was holding its breath, waiting. Waiting for whatever the morning would bring. He wondered how many people would be dead before the next night fell.

It was something of a miracle they hadn’t lost anyone at the battle for Jo-Ad. They almost certainly would have if they hadn’t retreated. Now there was no chance of retreat, nowhere to fall back to. It was stand or die. If Zurg broke through their forces and took Capital Planet, that was the end. The Alliance would come toppling down right into Zurg’s hands. They would fight to the bitter end to ensure that didn’t happen, but whatever victory they managed to achieve couldn’t be won without losses. It was a simple fact of warfare.

He thought of the bright young faces of his teammates. Despite being one of the most renowned figures in the galaxy, he didn’t have many friends. Those he did have he seemed to drive away, one by one. His eyes misted a little as he remembered a young Captain Lightyear clambering aboard the fresh-out-of-shipyard 42, with Warp following—laughing and slapping him on the back—and Ty and Rocket right behind him, smiling at his jokes. He closed his eyes. The future was a funny thing—you could never tell where you were going until you got there. It had been a much harder road than any of those young Rangers had expected. Maybe he should have seen some of it coming; the signs were there, even back in the Academy. Maybe he really was as oblivious as some people thought. But even he could never have imagined a future without Warp at his side. Ty and Rocket, sure, he’d never been as close to them, but Warp... Buzz sighed. Not everyone lost in the decades-long fight against Zurg had been lost through death.

But the three people who shared his star cruiser now had stuck by him through thick and thin—he still wasn’t quite sure why—and looked at him as more than a captain, more than a friend. They were the family he’d never had, and they meant the world to him. So much promise shone in the faces of those rookies, so many great things lay ahead of them. But it could all be snatched away from them so easily. He shuddered. XR might never mature into the fine, outstanding Ranger he had the potential to be. Booster might never take the reins as captain of 42, as Buzz had always hoped he one day would. Mira might never be crowned queen of Tangea. Their lives could be snuffed out in an instant, leaving those destinies forever unfulfilled.

And if it wasn’t them, it would be someone else.

It had never felt so hard to be a Space Ranger before. For a moment, he wished he could forget all his responsibilities and go back to his life... but the Rangers were his life. When he’d sworn the oath, he’d committed his every breath to Star Command, and that commitment would only end when peace finally reigned throughout the galaxy, or when death finally caught up with him. The latter seemed a more likely resolution.

His footsteps continued to echo through the night. He’d left the city behind him now and taken a winding road which led him through the suburbs, his own neighbourhood soon coming into view. Old man Hayman’s lights were out and his house locked up, leading Buzz to wonder if his neighbour had evacuated the planet as many others had done. Half the block seemed to be in darkness. Light still streamed from a few windows, but the lanes were as empty as they’d been in the city.

Buzz arrived gratefully at his front door and unlocked it, dropping the keys on the counter when he stepped in and allowing himself a moment to rest from his brisk walk. Then the lights went on and he got busy in the kitchen, grabbing a can of Crater Cola from the refrigerator and hunting through his cabinets for something to eat.

Dirty cooking utensils lay in the sink, gnats hovering over the dried pieces of food still adhering to them. When Buzz stopped to run water over the sink to drive away the insects, he realised for the first time that he hadn’t been home since the barbecue. That was a week ago. Too much had happened since then for him to come back.

How could that happy day have given way to so much tragedy and hardship? How had everything come crashing down in such a short space of time? _And can we put it all back together?_ he wondered.

Leaving the faucet running over the contents of the sink, he located an unopened bag of chips in one of the cabinets and snatched it out. Nana Lightyear would have had a few choice things to say if she could have seen him eating potato chips the night before an important battle instead of filling himself up on a healthy supper, he thought, letting a tired smile cross his face for a moment, but he was too weary to cook dinner, and junk food held more appeal anyway. He understood now why Mira had gone for all that chocolate at Cosmo’s.

Hanging up the coat he’d worn on his way to the house and pulling off his Ranger suit, he threw on some civvies and dropped onto the sofa with the bag of chips. The remote lay at his side, but he was in no mood to turn on the TV. Chances were good the only thing on would be news concerning the upcoming fight with Zurg.

The chips crackled as he crunched them, flavourless after their long imprisonment in the cupboard, but a welcome relief from the pangs of hunger which had been gnawing at him. They were also something concrete to focus on. Buzz clenched the bag, shovelling another handful into his mouth after each swallow. He wondered what his team was doing at that moment. XR had mentioned something about wanting to catch reruns of Phlegmia’s Funniest Home Videos, Mira had decided to call her father when they got back to Star Command, and Booster... well, Booster had barely opened his mouth since they’d left the Jo-Adian system. There was a hint of betrayal in those sad eyes whenever Buzz looked into them. He’d promised he wouldn’t let Zurg get to Jo-Ad. He’d _promised._ And he’d failed.

There was no getting around it. The battle for Jo-Ad had been a failure of galactic proportions. Zurg had gotten through their defenses and taken the planet with ease, and now he would try to do the same to Capital Planet. Only this time the stakes were even higher—freedom itself was on the line. The freedom of every citizen in the Galactic Alliance.

_How did we let things get this far?_

There were so many times he could have brought Zurg down if he’d just _tried_ harder. The twisted emperor had played his games far too long. Star Command’s duty was to protect the galaxy from evil—why hadn’t they taken a stronger stance against Zurg? Why hadn’t they thrown all their resources into bringing him in when they still had the chance?

Maybe, a voice told him, it was because he didn’t want the games to end. With Zurg gone, what would be left for him? There were other adversaries to face, other wrongs to right, but none of them could compare to the Evil Emperor Zurg. That man was his obsession, his life. No one else drove him forward like Zurg did. He’d made it his mission to foil the emperor’s plots and to one day bring him to justice. When that goal was finally accomplished, there’d be a certain emptiness in his life.

But none of that mattered now, he thought. The Galactic Alliance was facing total domination by Zurg’s forces. The tyrant had to be stopped, once and for all, or everything they’d fought for would be in vain. _This time,_ Buzz told himself, _we’re going to bring him down. Permanently._

He scrunched up the empty chip bag and tossed it at a trash can, missing by a wide margin and instead knocking a picture off a shelf. "Aw, craters." Pulling himself up from the chair, he crossed the length of the room and stooped to put the picture back in place.

The smiling face in the photograph made him pause. It hadn’t been easy to get her to pose for the camera, so in the end he’d just snapped a picture while she was waxing eloquent on the migratory habits of stratoshrikes. Her perpetual frown could turn into the brightest smile when she was talking about her work.

Buzz set the picture on the shelf gently. He’d taken it three months before, the last time he’d seen Ozma in person. With her living on Karn and him being a Space Ranger, they didn’t spend much time together, even now that they were dating. Their careers came first for both of them. In a way, that was one of the things that had attracted him to Ozma in the first place. It wasn’t often he met someone as passionate about what they did as he was, even if their fields were completely different. She could be just as stubborn and single-minded as him, perhaps even more so at times. It was strangely refreshing. He’d had no shortage of admirers, but Ozma was different. She wasn’t some awestruck fan hanging off his every word because he was a galactic hero. She was a woman who knew her own mind and didn’t accord him any special honour simply because of who he was. She was fully his equal. Ozma challenged him in ways few other people did, and if there was one thing Buzz Lightyear loved, it was a challenge.

His eyes wandered to the vidphone on the wall. Karn hadn’t been in Zurg’s path, so it was still free of the emperor’s influence. Ozma was safe for now, and probably completely unaffected by recent events. In some ways, the isolation of Karn was a blessing. _I should call her. I might not get another chance..._

But that would be admitting they could lose. Losing wasn’t an option.

_I’ll call her tomorrow,_ he decided. _After we’ve won the battle. Maybe I’ll even go visit—bring a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses, and we can celebrate. It’ll be nice._

* * *

White blurs rushed past the window, distant stars reduced to streaks as the ship travelled through the emptiness of space. Zurg sat hunched against the viewport, his eyes on the stars but not taking them in. He had barely been out of his room since the previous day, when he’d visited the president.

He was ashamed to think he’d almost let his guard down in front of her. His armour had cracked, just for a moment, but that moment was enough. _You aren’t supposed to show weakness in front of prisoners._ He would never have tolerated such failure from any of his underlings. He’d told her things he’d never meant to—things he kept hidden even from his most trusted lackeys (not that any of them could really be trusted, the grovelling fools)—and he would have said more if he hadn’t caught himself in time. Something about that woman just got under his skin.

Zurg shook his head. _I mustn’t let her bother me._

He was on the cusp of victory. He had to be strong. Success was almost certain, but it wouldn’t be easy. _Lightyear won’t go down without a fight_ , he thought. _I’ll probably have to kill him in the end._

He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Of course, he’d wanted Lightyear dead many times. Almost succeeded in killing him quite a few of those times too. As long as Lightyear still breathed, his plans were in jeopardy. The man had to die. But there was something so final about the thought of his demise.

Once Buzz was dead, there would be no hope of things ever going back to the way they were. Oh, he knew they had changed irrevocably already, but Buzz’s death would be the final nail in the Galactic Alliance’s coffin. There would be no turning back.

After so many years stuck in the same routine, he felt apprehensive at the thought of such a drastic twist to his finely-tuned reality. There would be no more bantering with Lightyear, no more wacky plots thrown out in the vain hope that one of them just might work, none of the highlights his old life had offered. _A small price to pay for galactic domination_ , he told himself. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d faced change, and this time he would face it from a position of strength, not powerless and cowering in the dirt like he had last time. He would finally be in control of his destiny.

His fingers curled around the ledge beneath the viewport, twitching. Until he was in the Galactic Alliance Senate chamber accepting their surrender, he wouldn’t feel secure. Too many schemes had failed in the past. Some were doomed from the start, but some he could have pulled off if Lightyear hadn’t been his usual troublesome self. He thought of the time he’d stolen the LGM’s Uni-mind. For a few brief minutes, he’d controlled every world in the Galactic Alliance. He’d felt their minds, all slaves to his own.

But not Lightyear’s.

The Space Ranger would never allow himself to be bent to Zurg’s will—not through force, technology, or anything else. _He has to die. It’s the only way._

Zurg only hoped he would be able to do it personally—he owed his arch foe that much at least. He wondered how satisfying it would be to finally see the man’s eyes glaze over with death. The emperor smiled.

His hands slid up the metal bulkheads around the viewport, tracing the tips of his talons over the thick terrillium. This was his, all of it. Every ship in the fleet, every servant jumping at his command, every world in his empire. He’d built it all up himself. Once he’d had nothing but the dust on his clothes, and now his name was whispered with fear in every corner of the four quadrants. Buzz Lightyear was always so proud—he thought just because he’d kept Zurg out of his puny little Galactic Alliance, he was somehow the winner. _Well, he’s wrong_. What did he have to be proud of? Maybe he’d defended the Alliance, but what had he gained? Had he crawled his way to the top, built an empire? When he shouted, who came running except his three pathetic rookies? Zurg commanded armies. He could send his Hornets swarming down on innocent worlds with a snap of his fingers.

_I’ve spent far too long thinking_ he _was the winner, just because he always stopped me._ Zurg smiled. _But I’ve never been beaten. Only hindered._

As long as he was free, he remained undefeated.

_And now I’m_ winning.

* * *

He woke up to a hot stream of light falling directly on his face as the dawn broke. Stretching, Buzz shifted himself to a sitting position with a groan and stared groggily around. The familiar sight of his living room greeted him, and he realised he’d fallen asleep on the couch. Crumbs tumbled down his creased shirt as he rose to fix some coffee.

The kitchen tiles felt like ice to his bare feet, but he was too tired to look for his favourite bunny slippers. Over the sink, gnats still hovered above the unwashed dishes he’d forgotten to take care of. Buzz brushed them away with a hand and rinsed a dusty mug he’d grabbed from the cupboard, smiling at the cute kitten printed on it. Nana had gotten it for him as a Holiday present one year.

_I wonder if the paper’s here yet,_ he mused, humming as he brewed the coffee. His wake-up ritual consisted of a cup of joe to clear his mind and a crossword to get himself focused. The coffee was ready, so now it was time for the crossword. Taking a sip from the hot mug, he went to the door to see if the paper had been delivered.

When he swung the door open, he had to shield his eyes as another ray of sunlight burst through. His heart sank as the realisation hit him. It was a new day. There was no more time left—today they would have to face Zurg.

"Morning, Buzz."

The voice brought his attention to his neighbour’s yard. Mr. Hayman was waving to him. "Morning," Buzz returned. "I thought you’d left like everyone else."

The blue man shrugged. "I did—packed up and went to my sister’s. But I had to come back. No evil emperor’s going to scare me out of my own home."

"That’s the spirit, Hayman. We need more brave folks like you," Buzz nodded. Somehow, his heart felt just a little heavier. _One more person I’ve got to keep safe_. One more person who was counting on him.

"I know you’re going to make us proud, Buzz," said Hayman. "As long as you’re up there defending the Alliance, I know I can sit soundly in my home."

Buzz saluted. "I won’t let you down, citizen."

He bent to retrieve the paper and walked slowly back into the house. Dropping into a chair, he tried to lift a pen to the crossword, but his fingers kept twitching. Finally he gave up. No matter how hard he tried to pretend, this wasn’t just another day. He abandoned the cooling mug of coffee on the counter and went to his bedroom.

His uniform hung in the closet where he’d left it the night before, the blue chest emblem glistening in the morning light. He pulled the suit off the coat hanger. The Star Command battle armour was deceptively light, hardly weighing its wearer down at all but providing them with an elastic, durable shield against whatever the universe threw at them. It still wasn’t the most comfortable attire, but Buzz never felt truly felt relaxed unless he had his Ranger suit on. It was like a second skin, and one he wore with immense pride.

He set the suit on his bed and changed out of his civvies, replacing them with the stretchy fabric of his thermal undersuit. Then he began pulling the uniform on. It felt heavier than usual, and his hands fumbled as he fastened the armour over his chest. When he was done, he looked himself over in the mirror. There were dark rings under his eyes, but otherwise his appearance was as immaculate as ever. He always liked to make a point of dressing sharply, to set a good example for the other Rangers. It seemed all the more important now. Order had to be maintained amidst the chaos. Everyone was looking to him for reassurance, and it wouldn’t do to present anything other than utter confidence in Star Command’s success.

Taking a deep breath, he puffed his chest out and marched through the front door with his head held high, looking like he’d just stepped out of a Star Command recruitment poster—which wouldn’t be much of a stretch, really, since he was the person featured on all their posters. His feet carried him through the street, towards the city where he would catch a shuttle to Star Command.

_We can do this_ , he told himself, and kept repeating it under his breath.

* * *

Sometimes, he could still taste the fetid, muddy smells of the swamp on his tongue. Memories of falling face down into the mire and being yanked up by thick, well-muscled arms and shoved forward until his aching legs could barely move lingered in his mind. It wasn’t the sort of thing you forgot. Especially when your captivity was far from over.

He turned slowly in his chair, surveying the quiet bridge around him. It was a battle-scarred raiding vessel, starting to show its age but still reliable enough. Not the ship he would have chosen for the occasion, but choice was a limited commodity in his life. His eyes fell briefly on the Brain Pod positioned beside his seat, and his fists tightened. He could feel the weight of the collar around his neck. It burned against his skin, even without electricity coursing through it.

_Enjoy your control while you can, Pod_.

He folded his hands together and leaned back. The previous day had been spent in long preparation, and all that remained now was to wait for the signal. He’d never liked waiting—inaction was like a disease, one he’d spent his life curing with increasingly more ambitious exploits.

Not all of them had paid off.

Shifting in his seat, he checked the time. Still an hour before they expected to get the signal. His fingers found the console in front of him and began drumming, filling the silence that engulfed the bridge. The Pod glanced at him, then returned its gaze to the computer tablet in its robotic claws, satisfied he wasn’t up to any mischief. His eyes traced over the distance between them. With one quick bound he could be out the chair and wrapping his hands around the Pod’s neck before it had a chance to blink.

But as long as he wore the collar, he was powerless. If the Pod died, the remote would automatically signal the collar to send a lethal dose of electricity through his body. Zurg had assured him it would be a very painful death.

He leaned back and sighed. Another hour of waiting. Soon the rest of the crew would emerge to take their stations, but there was little for anyone to do until the signal came. He remembered the silence of the slave cells on Beta Bayou, that strange feeling of nothingness as you lay huddled in the dark, feeling the heat of a hundred frightened, sweaty bodies around you. The feeling now was not dissimilar. He was still someone’s pawn, a possession. But not for long.

The number of slaves sharing his cell had dwindled the longer he was there, he mused with a smile, flexing his hands. After the first day a space had started to clear around him, a circle the other cellmates would not pass. Once, someone had been foolish enough to steal his daily food ration. The coppery stench of blood had lingered for the rest of the morning.

No, whatever he might be, he was never weak and he was not someone else’s puppet. He could fake it when he had to, but they would all learn the truth eventually. And they would regret every last thing they had done to him.

He chuckled as he thought back to the twiggy little psychologist who had told him he lacked imagination, so many years before during a psych eval. _He couldn’t have been more wrong. I’ve never met anyone as inventive as me when it comes to finding new ways of hurting people_. Even Zurg’s torture seemed brutish and dull in comparison to some of the things he’d cooked up in his time.

He looked at the Brain Pod. _You’ll find out, soon enough_. They all would.

Forty minutes later, the signal came.


	21. Chapter 20

He could hear his mother calling. Booster rolled over, yawning. _Ma must have breakfast ready_ , he thought, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. _Funny, I don’t smell anything..._ And then he took in his surroundings and found himself in his cramped quarters aboard Star Command.

 _It was just a dream_ , he realised. Of course it was. He wasn’t on Jo-Ad—he couldn’t be, because Zurg held his world now. Booster let out a breath, feeling as if he’d been punched in the gut. Why couldn’t the attack have been the dream? Why couldn’t he wake up to the smell of fresh bunzel pancakes and hear the distant grunting of moozles, like he used to, so long ago?

He flung back the covers, and the bed creaked as he pulled himself up. He couldn’t live in the past. The time had come to face the future. _Zurg will be here today_ , he thought. _He’s going to hit Capital Planet. We have to stop him!_

Once he put on his suit, he left his room and headed for the cafeteria. With any luck, Mira and XR would be there and he wouldn’t have to eat breakfast alone. Buzz had chosen to spend the night at his house, so he wouldn’t be joining them. Booster was almost grateful for that. It was hard to look his hero in the eye after... after what had happened.

 _That wasn’t his fault_ , Booster argued with himself. _He had no choice—he didn’t have enough ships to stop Zurg. Things will be different this time. After we defeat Zurg we’ll free Jo-Ad, and then everything will be okay. I’ll get to see my parents again._

But the hollowness wouldn’t leave his chest.

The cafeteria was crowded when he entered, filled with Rangers wolfing down one last meal before they were sent out to fight. A few nodded to him as he walked past, but most were too lost in their own thoughts.

The ever-friendly Sprocket Crockett waved from his table where he sat with the rest of Team Vok, and Booster managed a smile in return. "Have you seen Mira and XR?" he asked.

Sprocket shrugged and shook his head. "Sorry, man, I just got here."

"I think I saw them at Buzzzz’s usssual table," offered his insectoid teammate, Lenny, stretching some of the syllables into a wasp-like hum.

"Thanks." Booster left them and made his way to the far end of the room. Buzz had a special table there, which he and Warp had claimed many years back, and Team Lightyear still congregated around it most mornings.

Mira and XR were seated there now, a can of oil in XR’s hand and an untouched tray of toast beside Mira. Both glanced up hopefully when they heard him approach.

"Hi, guys," he greeted softly.

"Oh, hi, Booster." Mira seemed disappointed. "Is Buzz here yet?"

"I don’t think so." Booster pulled back a seat and joined them. "He’s probably still on the shuttle from Capital Planet."

She nodded absently. "Yeah, I guess. I wish he were here..."

Booster said nothing. She was probably right—things would be better when Buzz got there. Buzz was... well, Buzz, right? He twiddled his thumbs and looked down.

"Are you gonna eat anything, big guy?" XR asked.

"I’m not really hungry." The sweet taste of bunzel pancakes came back to him, lingering on his tongue. His throat tightened.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Mira patted his shoulder. "But c’mon, guys, we can’t just sit here moping. We’ve got to keep our chins up!"

"Easy for you to say, you actually have a chin," retorted XR.

An alarm blared over the speakers, and the room echoed with boots clattering on the floor as Rangers stood up alertly. "Attention all Rangers," it was Commander Nebula’s booming voice, "report to the cruiser bay on the double! Repeat, get to the cruiser bay ASAP! Sorry to cut your breakfast short, boys and girls, but it’s time to go!"

* * *

He’d never been so angry in his life. Not even when his every impulse had been to rip Buzz limb from limb, during the Wirewolf incident. Ty would’ve slammed a door if there’d been one handy, but doors seemed about as common as tasteful fashion on Tangea. So he contented himself with pacing around the throne room and throwing violent glares at the ornate flower pots lining the walls.

It wasn’t just unfair, it was _insulting_. Ever since Buzz had blasted that last Canis Lunis moon rock to kingdom come, Ty hadn’t given Star Command any cause to doubt his fitness for duty. He’d endured long, tedious desk jobs while they assessed him, and he’d proven himself perfectly sound in both mind and body.

But once again, he was being left out of the fight. "We need someone on Tangea to look after the evacuees," Commander Nebula had said. Overseeing the resettlement had been one thing—at least it was an important assignment, even if it was boring work. But what use was he on Tangea when the fight was taking place in Capital Planet airspace? The evacuees weren’t going to come under attack while Zurg’s forces were in a completely different part of the quadrant. It was ridiculous!

"Better safe than sorry," the commander had told him.

Sure. He kicked the wall.

"Really, Ranger Parsec, is that going to help?" King Nova sat in his throne, an eyebrow raised. "I understand how you feel—believe it or not, I wish I could be there too, alongside my daughter—but we must accept that our responsibilities lie elsewhere."

Ty scowled, then took a deep breath and nodded. "I know. I just... I thought maybe this time it would be different. I thought just this once they might trust me enough to let me in." _Guess I was wrong_. They were never going to trust him, not really. If he hadn’t been a proven veteran, if he hadn’t had Buzz Lightyear himself put in a good word for him, he wondered if he would have even been reinstated at all. They’d probably have had him checking parking metres on Carnyworld.

"Your Highness." A man dressed in the long, yellow uniform of the royal guard ghosted into the room, bowing to the king. "There’s someone who wishes to speak to Ranger Parsec—one of the outworlders from the camp."

"Send them in." Nova nodded.

The guard returned a moment later with a tall, nervous-looking robot. Its design was vaguely retro, and the bowtie painted on its neck led Ty to suspect it had originally been a waiterbot. The eyes seemed familiar—he realised they reminded him of XR’s. Probably the same model. That was thing with robots, they were just a collection of parts, easily mixed and matched. He felt an odd twinge. After the Wirewolf affair, it wasn’t so easy to see robots as a separate form of life. If he could practically become one, then where did machine life end and organic life begin? Weren’t organics just a collection of parts too, simply made out of different materials? He shifted uneasily. If that was the case, did killing robots make you a murderer? Maybe not in the courts, but he would never be able to shake the memory of Sentry 2's dismembered form lying in a pool of servo fluid beside him, the same fluid covering his hands...

 _That’s all in the past_ , he chastised himself. He’d already been through all this with the Star Command counsellors. _Just forget it._

"Can I help you?" he asked the robot smoothly, all Star Command professionalism. If he was stuck on Tangea, he might as well act the part of the dutiful Ranger. He was good at that, wasn’t he? Always gritting his teeth and playing the good soldier, no matter how lousy the assignment, because he just didn’t have it in him to do otherwise. Somehow, in spite of everything, he loved the badge and everything it stood for—he couldn’t shirk his duty. Some of the Rangers like Rocket tried to fight the system, demanding better postings here and fudging a few rules there, all to get ahead in the vain struggle for prestige. It was a race where the only prize you could hope for was second best, and they all knew it—Buzz’s shadow would always hang over them. Well, Ty wasn’t going to participate, no matter how good a little recognition would’ve felt. He didn’t have to like his assignments, but he would do them and do them well. That’s what being a Ranger was all about, right? He stood up a little straighter and turned his thoughts back to the robot in front of him, wondering what it could possibly want. The camp was equipped with charging units and everything else the robotic evacuees would need, and they even had a couple of technicians on hand in case repairs were necessary.

"It’s—it’s my daughter." The robot wrung its hands. "I don’t know what to do! She just disappeared!"

"Hold on, slow down," Ty stopped him. "Your daughter? What’s her name? Is she a robot?"

"No, no," the robot shook his head. "Her name’s Savy. Savy SL2. She’s human—my wife and I adopted her, many years ago." He paused and held out a hand, as if realising they hadn’t been properly introduced. "You can call me SL, by the way."

Ty nodded, shaking it. Savy SL2—didn’t he know that name from somewhere? There’d been a Savy in the Junior Rangers. He’d met a bunch of the kids once, on a particularly glorious mission, when he’d transported a bus full of them to some fundraising event. "What happened to her?" he asked.

SL sighed. "I don’t know. She’d left our tent to explore the camp—we thought it was safe enough with all the supervisors around—and she never came back. We waited and waited, even got one of the supervisors to organise a search party, but there was no sign of her anywhere. She just vanished!"

Ty felt two conflicting emotions rise in his chest—concern and excitement. He wanted the girl found safe and sound as soon as possible, that was his immediate priority, but it was darn nice to have something to do again. "Has anyone else gone missing?" he asked.

SL shook his head. "Not as far as I know. Oh, Ranger, what do you think has happened to her? Do you think she’s alright?"

Ty shrugged and looked to King Nova. "Your Highness, any thoughts? Are there wild animals in those jungles? Anything that might snatch her?"

"Hmm," mused Nova, stroking his chin. "There are some large beasts in the jungle, but all the most dangerous ones in this region were hunted out by the Grounders long ago. The surface is not a place for a child to go wandering, certainly, but I can’t see her being mauled by any savage creatures."

"Could it be Grounders, then?"

SL’s eyes widened in horror. "What would the Grounders want with my little girl?"

"A good question indeed," said Nova. "The Grounders are many things, but they aren’t usually kidnappers."

Ty turned to SL. "And there’s no chance your daughter could’ve just run away?"

"I, I suppose— No, I don’t think so. She wouldn’t do that. I’m sure she wouldn’t."

"So, basically, we have no idea what could’ve happened to her." Ty sighed. "Well, I’ll look into it. Don’t worry, Mr. SL2, I’ll get your daughter back, I promise."

* * *

"What’s the status on our forward pulse cannons?"

"Pulse cannons at full power, Your Evilness!"

Zurg nodded to the Grub, then shifted his view to a different station. "Main shields?"

"Online and fully operational, Your Malevolence!"

"Good, good. Tactical, how are our targeting scanners?"

"In perfect alignment, my Evil Emperor."

A Brain Pod approached him from beneath the suspended throne. "All systems are operating at peak efficiency," he assured Zurg. "The fleet is ready."

"It doesn’t hurt to double check." The emperor steepled his talons. "We cannot afford a single mistake. I’m not going to lose this battle because one of you quivering lackwits got a piece of gum stuck in a power conduit."

He let his eyes drift out to the stars. They were so close now. Soon they would cross into Capital Planet’s solar system, sweeping past the warning beacons that would alert Star Command they were there—beacons which no longer served any purpose. Star Command knew full well they were coming. Everyone in the galaxy knew. He could almost taste their terror, and it was _delicious._

"We’ve received the final status update from Agent Darkmatter," informed one of the Grubs. "He says everything’s going according to schedule."

"Good. Tell him to maintain radio silence from now on."

It was all coming together, like the photons in a Sperlingian energy mosaic. Everything he’d planned and meticulously set up, every little detail he’d spent months working out—it was all about to pay off. Now that the moment drew near, he felt strangely numb. Almost underwhelmed. His emotions were often like a knife, quick and sharp, but this time they seemed blunted. Perhaps he instinctively knew they might get in the way and hinder him during battle, so he’d shut them off. Or perhaps he didn’t dare feel anything until he stood within the hallowed chambers of the Galactic Senate at last, and watched the cowering politicians surrender their every breath and freedom to him.

Perhaps part of him was still afraid of failing.

"ETA ten minutes," one of the Brain Pods reported. "The fleet is in formation, all ships reporting normal, weapons fully charged."

Zurg nodded. There was nothing to fear—he’d planned it all too well. He couldn’t lose.

 _No,_ he snarled inside his head. _That was always your mistake, wasn’t it? Thinking you’re invincible. Well, you’re not. The universe has hammered that lesson into you often enough._ He winced as every failure, every humiliating defeat flashed before his eyes. _Don’t just assume your victory._ Ensure _it._

He would. There would be no retreats this time, no surrenders. He would win or he would die—settling for anything less was unacceptable.

* * *

The streets of Capital Planet were almost as empty in the morning as they’d been at night, and the quiet was somehow more deafening than the usual rush of people and traffic. It was a strange journey through them, marching slowly down the once-bustling roads in his gleaming white-and-green uniform. At first the few onlookers hadn’t said a word, then some had started to approach, coming out of shops and from all corners of the open walkway, hesitantly forming a circle that would part whenever the famed Ranger reached its edge.

Buzz felt his cheeks grow red as people stopped to shake his hand or called out words of encouragement to him. A hunched woman told him, her voice croaky with age, that the people of Capital Planet had never been prouder of him, and that they knew he would keep them safe from the likes of Zurg. He’d offered her a weak smile in return. She reminded him a little of Nana, somehow, which just made it worse.

A group of alien youths stopped him and asked enthusiastically if there was anything they could do to help. It seemed they wanted to get in on the fight. He told them in the stern voice he used to lecture rebellious new recruits that the best thing they could do for him would be to go home and hide in their basements until it was all over. It wasn’t the answer they were looking for, but he had bigger concerns than the disappointment of a few teenagers.

He was grateful when he finally escaped the throng and reached the shuttlepad, where a Star Command ship was waiting for him. The trip to the space station was brief; he left the city beneath him and raced through the blackness of space, concentrating solely on piloting the craft. The time for letting his thoughts wander was over. He had to keep his mind on the task that lay ahead. When he approached Star Command, he hailed them to let them know he was coming in, and the launch bay doors opened for him.

Once he’d settled the craft on a small landing bay inside, he rose from his seat and jumped out the hatch. A loud commotion greeted him, and he watched as Rangers and LGMs ran back and forth across the walkways, making their final preparations for the battle that was fast approaching. The LGMs were always diligent workers, but there was a desperate sense of urgency to their movements now. They checked over cruisers, inspected Star Command’s systems, and conferred with each other in hushed tones, all while heavy boots rushed past their short figures. The Space Rangers were frantically assembling themselves on the pad, and after searching through the crowd for a moment, Buzz spied his rookies.

He crossed one of the catwalks to them, receiving a few salutes as he pushed through the other Rangers.

"Mira, Booster, XR." He nodded to his team, taking a place beside them.

"Sir," they greeted in return. They looked too stiff, too formal. Suddenly Buzz felt a deep longing for the old days, when they could board the cruiser together to go on a routine patrol, laughing and bantering without a care in the universe.

"Alright, folks, listen up." The clink of Nebula’s pegleg echoed throughout the room as he paced in front of them. "Today’s a difficult day, both for Star Command and for the Galactic Alliance. Zurg’s gonna hit us on our own turf, and it’s our job to stop that purple bucket-head once and for all, before any more civilians get hurt. It won’t be easy, and I won’t lie, some of you probably aren’t coming back from this. But I know you’ll make me proud. And know this too—I’m not gonna send you kids out there while I sit on my keister here on Star Command, safe and snug. No sir, I’ll be fighting right along with you. Ranger Lightyear will still be in command of the fleet, while I’ll be coordinating things with the alien armadas. Many of the Alliance’s member worlds have graciously lent their ships to us, but their people aren’t used to following Star Command orders, so I’ll deal with all that side of things. You’ll all get your orders straight from Buzz. Understood?"

A loud cry of "yes, sir!" filled the room.

Nebula nodded. "Good. You lot are the best and bravest people I’ve ever had the honour of working with. I have faith in every one of you. So let’s go out there and do this!"

The Rangers all nodded and shouted their assent, and Buzz found himself caught up in a mad rush as everyone made for the cruisers. His three rookies followed him up the ramp to 42, and Buzz took a deep breath as he eyed his faithful ship from below one last time, then began clambering up the ladder to the hatch.

There was a feeling of deja vu as they settled into their places inside the cockpit. He remembered the last battle, and had to force the thoughts from his mind. _This time will be different._

As soon as the pre-flight checks were complete and he’d received permission to take off, his fingers clenched around the throttle and he thrust it forward. A surge of power shuddered through the ship as the crystallic engines came to life, and the cruiser pulled away from the pad, shooting through the open hatch above and into empty space.

"Alright, Team, this is it," Buzz announced, more for his own benefit than theirs. "This ends today." His finger flipped on the comm switch. "All cruisers, move into assigned positions in the defensive perimeter. Keep your weapons fully charged and have targeting scanners standing by. Zurg’ll be here any minute, so let’s be ready for him."

* * *

It wasn’t exactly his idea of a good time, but Ty found himself delightfully energised, the adrenaline flowing through his body as he pushed his way through the dense undergrowth of the Tangean jungle. Mud squelched beneath his boots, and he had to constantly swipe insects away from his face. But at least he was finally doing something.

Using his suit’s inbuilt scanners, he’d been able to track Savy’s progress far more effectively than the previous search party had, but the deeper into the jungle he got, the weaker the trail became. If he didn’t reach her soon, he feared it would fade out entirely and he’d be back to square one.

His forehead was now hot and sticky, and probably covered in dirt from the leaves which kept slapping against him. He tried not to think about what deadly, undiscovered diseases might be lurking and breeding in the muggy environment. Of course, he _could_ put his helmet up, but it would only get smeared in grime and fogged up by the humidity. Besides, he kind of liked the faint floral smells which wafted through the trees. He’d never been one of those tree-hugging hippy types—his early years had been spent on a space station colony, where the only plants he saw grew in the hydroponics bay or in dusty corners as sad little pot plants people got to brighten up a room and then forgot to water—but even he could appreciate the beauty of the Tangean surface. He wondered why the Royals were so frightened of it. It explained a lot about them, he supposed; if you spent your whole life closed off in a stuffy palace, you were bound to become a bit stuffy and close-minded yourself.

He stumbled over a dead, rotting branch lying on the ground and had to grab a weedy sapling to steady himself. The foliage was growing more dense, and it was getting harder to slip himself through the gaps in the undergrowth. Probably not an issue for a teenage kid like Savy or a Grounder who could blast their own path, but for a fully-grown man encumbered beneath a bulky suit it was hell. _Still better than pacing around the palace though_ , he thought with half a grin.

His wrist emitted a loud beep. Pausing beside the trunk of a tree, Ty flipped open the display. The scanner had stopped registering Savy’s trail. _Blast_. He sighed and looked around. There was no sign anyone had even been that way, let alone clues pointing to what direction they might’ve taken. She hadn’t been following a straight line, so there was no telling when she might have turned off and taken a different path.

Straightening, Ty decided to try the slim chance she might still be in the area. "Savy!" he called at the top of his lungs, cupping his hands to his mouth. "SAVY! SAVY SL2!"

A few birds twittered angrily, but otherwise there was no reply. Either she was long gone, or she didn’t want to answer. If it was the latter, that meant she’d deliberately run away, making the task of finding her that much harder.

"SAVY!" he called one last time, then leaned against the tree trunk to catch his breath. Suddenly, the click of a weapon primed to fire sounded just behind him, barely audible but enough to make him whirl around, his hand instinctively on his wrist trigger.

The barrel of a blue powitzer met him, shoved right in his face. He levelled his own arm at whoever was threatening him. There was a brown finger on the gun’s trigger, half covered in dark leather.                             

"You’re a Space Ranger?" The gun lowered slightly, revealing the puzzled face of a Grounder. He was clad in a rough, blue leather outfit which looked more suited to the streets of Trade World than a Tangean forest, and his eyes were fixed uncertainly on Ty.

"Ranger Ty Parsec at your service," Ty announced with a sardonic edge. "You, uh, mind pointing that thing somewhere other than at me?"

"Sorry." The Grounder seemed to make up his mind about something, and let the hand with the gun drop to his side. "You can’t be too careful these days."

"Tell me about it." Ty kept his own weapon trained on the other man. "I don’t suppose you could tell me what you’re doing here?"

The Grounder smirked. "Last time I checked, my people lived on this surface and Space Rangers didn’t, so I should be asking _you_ that question."

"I was sent to Tangea to look after the evacuees." Ty tilted his head. "Funny, you don’t look like you’re from around these parts."

"Very perceptive." Still grinning, the Grounder leaned comfortably against the tree. "Name’s Romac. You’re right, I’m a bit of a nomad—I go where the business is. But with everything that’s been happening lately, the galaxy just isn’t as safe as it used to be. So I thought I’d come home for awhile."

Ty shrugged. "Another evacuee, then? Okay, fair enough." He lowered his arm, but kept his muscles tensed, ready to spring into action. His instincts told him that however friendly this man appeared, he wasn’t the kind of person you turned your back on. "You wouldn’t happen to know anything about a missing kid, would you? Human, female, seventeen years old. Disappeared a few hours ago."

"Is that what you’re looking for?" Romac folded his arms. "I wondered why you were out here. Sorry, I haven’t seen her. I can tell you this, though—you and she aren’t the only outworlders to visit the jungle today."

Ty raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I didn’t exactly come out here for my health," admitted Romac. "There were rumours back in the village, something about an offworlder looking for mercenaries. Here’s the thing about my people, Ranger—we’re not the violent thugs everyone thinks we are. Believe it or not, most of us only use our powers for hunting food or clearing farmland. But the reputation stuck, so a lot of us figured hey, why not take advantage of it? That’s why if you’re looking for hired muscle or someone to track down your enemies, you get a Grounder." He rubbed one of his boots against the tree, scraping mud from the heel like he had all the time in the world to waste. There was a casualness to him that told Ty the man was used to being in control. "Maybe that’s not a good thing, but if it helps us make our way in the galaxy, who am I to complain?" Romac continued. "So anyway, someone came here looking to hire a few mercs. A few of the guys in the village were interested, and I caught wind of where they were meeting. So I decided to check it out..."

"What’s your interest in all this?" Ty interrupted.

The Grounder flashed him another smile, his yellow teeth glistening. "Professional interest, I guess. I like to keep up with current events—all part of the job."

"Which is?"

"Let’s just say I’m not a social worker," Romac chuckled. "Oh, don’t worry, I keep to the right side of the law, when it’s convenient. But I can’t say the same for all of my clients."

"Bounty hunter?"

The Grounder nodded. "I figured there might be a job opportunity somewhere in all this, so I came here. Unfortunately, when I arrived, the meeting place was already deserted. There were signs of a struggle, though, and traces of recent laser fire. Whatever happened, I missed out on quite a party. Funny thing is," he added, rubbing his neck, "I found a set of smaller footprints beside the others, and it didn’t make sense to me until you mentioned that kid."

Ty leaned forward. "You think she was there?"

"Could be."

Now he was starting to get somewhere. Had Savy stumbled onto something she shouldn’t have? "Take me there," Ty told the Grounder. "I need to check this out."

* * *

Capital Planet’s solar system was a familiar one to him. Oh, they liked to think they were safe in the centre of their little alliance, but how many times had he been here already? How many times had he set foot on their shining capital? Zurg had struck at the heart of the Galactic Alliance before, and even snuck in when it suited him. But those times felt like mere dress rehearsals now. This... _this_ was the real thing.

He was seated in his throne, high above the bridge, with his hands resting neatly on each armrest. He looked elegant, imposing, threatening... or so he liked to think, at least. He wasn’t sure if he’d achieved such an image, but he hoped so. Not that it mattered, since there was no one to see him up there, but appearances were everything. He had to look _ready._

Their target was in view now. He felt his breath catch as his eyes fell on the blue-green orb which represented everything he opposed and everything he hoped to win. All the others had fallen—Rhizome, Jo-Ad, and most recently Trade World. But Capital Planet still stood free.

Well, he would see about _that_.

A blockade surrounded the planet, made up of hundreds of vessels—far more than had met his fleet at Jo-Ad. They were not all star cruisers. Just as his sources had informed him, Star Command was supplementing their forces with as many ships as the Alliance could cobble together. Shragarakian blade ships, Phlegmian cruisers, Garzanian fighters. He even spotted a few Tangean vessels in the mix. For a moment he felt goosebumps tingle over his skin as he wondered if perhaps it would not be such a sure victory after all. Then he quelled those fears, remembering all he’d planned. He’d prepared for this eventuality just like every other— _counted_ on it, even. He was not rushing headlong into this attack like a fool.

The stars outside twinkled, as if space itself were rippling with energy. The tension felt as palpable as the metal beneath his hands, perhaps even more so. Searching amongst the fleet, his gaze landed upon the ship he was looking for—that familiar cruiser bearing the accursed number 42 in bold lettering, the vessel carrying his arch nemesis, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. Arch nemesis—now there was an amusing thought. Once he would have laughed at the idea of arch enemies and deadly feuds; all that was _so_ cliche, the sort of thing you found in cheap holovids. Reality didn’t work like that. Ordinary people didn’t have arch enemies. But ordinary people also didn’t wage war on a galactic scale or control vast empires. That was the heart of it—he _wasn’t_ ordinary, and neither was Lightyear, though the man might pretend to be. They were something, larger, grander, champions of great universal forces themselves. Lightyear would have called it a clash of Good versus Evil. Zurg preferred Evil versus Morality. There was a difference.

And when you played such a great role, things like arch enemies didn’t seem so out of place; they were almost to be expected. The reason such things were turned into laughable cliches was because the rest of the universe, so mundane and unimportant, simply couldn’t _imagine_ them actually existing. To them, life was a boring affair filled with working in offices, taking children to school, paying the bills, and eagerly reading about what Vicki Vortex had worn to the annual Rhizomian Charity Ball.

Lightyear tried to live that life, but even Zurg could see it was not who his foe really was. The man would never be content as just another person in the vast sea of nobodies that made up the universe. He was Buzz Lightyear, pride of Star Command and the galaxy’s greatest hero. That was who he was born to be. They may have opposed each other in the most fundamental ways possible, but Zurg was certain he understood his enemy more intimately than anyone else ever could.

Staring out at that cruiser, he knew he could feel the Space Ranger’s tension matching his own. The apprehension, the anticipation of the fight. He knew the man was looking straight at his ship too, thinking the same thoughts.

One thing separated them, however. Buzz Lightyear could never betray his own nature. It was what made him so predictable. He could only ever be the hero, the saviour, the Space Ranger.

Zurg had learned long ago to play many different roles. Not all of them worked, but he knew it was necessary. You had to keep them guessing. _Never be the person they think you are._ That had been his big mistake in the past—he’d allowed himself to fall into a rut. But no more. Lightyear would find this out soon enough.

He shifted in his throne, leaning forward. His minions below looked up expectantly. The bridge was uncharacteristically hushed.

"Open fire," he ordered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twenty chapters already, wow! Sure is a lot quicker posting this than it was to write. 
> 
> We get a quick cameo by Rocket's brother in this chapter, who is totally made up (though based on one of the background Rangers we see in the show, as are all the Ranger OCs in this story), but someone I'm quite fond of. My friend Alexa and I came up with a bunch of backstory for his team long ago - I don't even remember why - so I couldn't help including him here. You'll see a little more of Team Vok later, so now you know the history behind them.
> 
> The big battle has finally arrived. Expect plenty of action next chapter!


	22. Chapter 21

She watched, keeping her face impassive as the two great fleets engaged. The sight of battle was a familiar one—it seemed to chase her wherever she went. At least this time it wasn’t her fight. But she had a battle of her own—a greater one, she believed—and it was deeply intertwined with the one she was witnessing now.

Her fingers brushed over the controls of her ship. She had to get into position. It would be dangerous, but she had no choice. There was her promise to think about, the one oath she’d sworn that still meant something.

"I will save him," she whispered to the memory of a woman long dead. "I promise I will save him."

* * *

"Alright folks, quit gawping and get moving!" Nebula barked. He paced across the bridge of the Tigran vessel, ducking his head to avoid hitting a low ceiling bar hidden by the dim lighting. He wished he could have a few words with the vessel’s interior decorator. Why would anyone think having your ship shrouded in darkness was a good design feature? Why couldn’t everyone else be sensible like Star Command and use bright, friendly lighting? Then again, Tigran eyesight was considerably better in the dark than that of most other species, so this was probably a well-lit room by their standards.

The striped feline crew were already moving into action, locking weapons on the nearest Zurg ship and firing up the engines to get into range. The battle had begun.

Nebula folded his hands behind his back and leaned over the captain’s chair. "I’ll try not to get in your way, General Brizaran," he told the Tigran sitting in it, a woman with ears notched from many battles and a mouth that seemed permanently hardened into a grim scowl. "I’m just here to coordinate the Alliance ships. This is your crew—I’ll let you command them."

"Thank you, Commander," the general replied in her deep, rumbling voice. She turned to the tactical station. "Are we in firing range, Second Pridesman Dellat?"

"Almost, General."

"Fire as soon as you have a clear shot." She spun to the helm. "Fourth Pridesman, keep us away from hostile fire, but let us be bold in our attacks. We will give the enemy no quarter."

"Understood."

Nebula watched them as they worked. They brought the ship past one of Zurg’s mid-sized war cruisers, ducking beneath a volley of fire from the enemy’s laser cannons and deftly slipping behind it, where the Tigran dreadnought cracked open one of the engine casings with a concentrated burst of laser fire. They moved in closer for the kill shot.

"Arm the torpedos! Fire!" Brizaran roared.

Grabbing the back of the general’s chair to steady himself, Nebula felt the ship lurch as the warheads were fired. They slammed into the engine of the cruiser, which now lay exposed and vulnerable, and it exploded in a brilliant fireball that brightened the dark bridge until Nebula was forced to shield his eyes. The war cruiser tried to get off another shot at them, but it was now out of control and weaving helplessly this way and that, unable to get a lock on anything. The other engine was glowing brightly—too bright—and starting to shake.

Brizaran purred with satisfaction. "Success. Move on to another target. This vessel will not trouble us any further."

As they plunged onward, striking at several small fighters that were hounding a Phlegmian ship, Nebula caught a burst of light out the corner of his eye. The other engine had blown, taking the rest of the war cruiser with it. _Good_ , he thought. And yet, he couldn’t take quite the same pleasure in the enemy’s defeat as the general had. He didn’t know who was manning Zurg’s ships—Grubs and Brain Pods probably, poor souls—but he did know his side had just killed some of them. He wouldn’t apologise for it, or even feel guilty. War was war. But loss of life was never something to celebrate. _Maybe it’s different for folks who are true military, like Brizaran,_ he thought, _not in-betweeners like us_. Soldiers were trained to kill, while Space Rangers swore an oath to protect and defend. But sometimes that oath meant taking life, and he could never quite let that fact settle right in his mind.

Turning his attention to one of the screens, he surveyed the progress of the fleet. Battle had erupted across the board, with one Zurg ship down so far and one Shragarakian ship disabled. The Phlegmians were taking the heaviest beating of the lot and seemed to have fallen into a panic, no big surprise since they’d never had the stomach for fighting to begin with. _Do they even have stomachs_? Nebula wondered fleetingly.

"Commander Phermos," he called over the comm line. "Get your ships back in formation. Focus your attack—you lot are dancing around like you just sat on a nest of Karnian fire ants, and all it’s doing is making you easier targets! You have a much better chance if you stick together!"

"Understood," there was a nasally sniff, "Commander."

"Good. Nebula out." He checked the other ships, skimming over the activity of the star cruisers. He knew he could count on Buzz to give a good show. But the rest of the fleet was a hastily-assembled hodgepodge of alien ships, some military and some little more than armed cargo freighters. A strategist’s nightmare—he had no idea which ships and crews he could rely on, and which would fail him in the heat of battle. He’d chosen to base himself on the lead Tigran vessel because Brizaran had a proven military track record, having earned a formidable reputation during the border skirmishes that were always flaring up on her homeworld between the two native species. But the other groups were more uncertain. He suspected the Tangeans would do better than most would give them credit for—they were a technologically advanced race, with intense mental discipline and a strong desire not to see their way of life disrupted. Others like the Pachydermians had barely any firepower and knew little of war or bloodshed. He’d trade the lot of them for more star cruisers and Rangers.

_Wish our blasted recruiting numbers were higher_ , he huffed. The galaxy expected the Rangers to protect them, but heaven forbid they actually send their own people to join the institution. They seemed to think a few hundred Rangers were enough to defend the entire Galactic Alliance. _And then they complain when we’re not everywhere at once_.

"Argh!" He had to grasp at railing, grunting and trying to keep upright, as a blast suddenly tore through the side of the hull, rattling the entire bridge violently.

"Damage?" Brizaran shouted above the confusion.

One of the technicians frantically checked the readout on her console. "We’ve lost power to the ion cannons and there’s a breach in one of the storage bays—the computer’s sealing it now, but our power levels are down by twenty-three percent!"

The general shrugged. "Could be worse. We’re still alive. Dellat, defensive fire! Take down those fighters! I will not have my ship torn apart by Zurg’s little gnats."

They swooped over a pair of fighters that were assaulting the hapless Phlegmians, and a barrage of torpedos turned the ships into space debris in the blink of an eye. Without pausing, the Tigran vessel swerved to the right and took out another fighter by slamming straight through it. Nebula flinched. _Ouch_. Brizaran wasn’t going to pull any punches, was she?

Then again, they couldn’t afford to.

* * *

The bridge was shaking, rattling, tossing them up and down like popcorn kernels in a microwave. Lights were flashing desperately as if the ship thought they somehow weren’t aware of the battle raging around them. Some new alarm seemed to go off every six seconds. XR eyed his teammates as they sat hunched over their stations, focused intently on their tasks. Sweat was glistening on Buzz’s brow and his fingers were clenching the controls tightly. Mira was babbling, half to herself and half to Buzz, as she kept him updated on the movement of the fleets. Booster was jamming his fingers on the weapon controls, bringing down enemy torpedos that threatened to smash into the cruiser. Turning back to his own station, XR monitored the ship’s systems and grimaced as each new damage report came in. Nothing serious so far, but the battle had just begun. He _knew_ things were going to get much worse.

There were a lot of times the robot envied Buzz. Like when his captain got yet another commendation for saving yet another planet while uttering yet another heroic one-liner. Or when he received a mountain load of fanmail from adoring young women. Or when he secured lucrative marketing deals from candy companies and fast food chains. Or when he got his face splashed all over the media, ranging from the news to _Cosmicpoliton_ ’ _s_ list of the galaxy’s top ten most eligible bachelors.

This was not one of those times.

For once, XR was grateful to be who he was—just a lowly robot rookie working the diagnostics station. No decisions to make, no galactic-sized responsibilities on his shoulders. Just do as you’re told, warn the team if the ship’s about to explode, and otherwise keep your mouth shut. It wasn’t the _ideal_ situation to find oneself in—that would be laying out on the beaches of Mahambas VI with five gorgeous swimsuit models fanning him—but it was a heck of a lot better than being Buzz right now.

Outside, the sky lit up with another volley of fire. The ship pitched forward as Buzz tried to evade the shots, sending XR smacking into the side of his station with a clang. "Ow," he mumbled, hoping nothing was dented. Mercifully, there were no irritated bleeps from the computer, so none of the shots had connected with the cruiser. Glancing back out the viewport, he could see they were swinging around for an attack. It seemed their assailant was a large warship—not Dreadnought-scale but big enough to dwarf 42, and plenty scary as far as XR was concerned.

"Look, Buzz, I’m sure you’ve got some brilliant plan, and you know I’m not one to nitpick, but don’t you think that ship is just a little too big for us to take on _ALL BY OURSELVES_?"

His captain glanced back to give him a disapprovingly raised eyebrow. XR _hated_ that eyebrow. "Do we have a choice?" Nevertheless, with a sigh he leaned into the microphone. "This is 42 calling Star Cruiser 54, requesting assistance in taking down enemy vessel on our tail. Repeat, 54 is ordered to provide backup to Star Cruiser 42."

XR threw up his hands. "54? You’re calling in _54_? That’s Team Vok’s ship! What help are _they_ gonna be?"

"Considerably more than you." Mira sent a glare in his direction. "Just shut it, would you? Some of us are trying to concentrate!"

"Well _excuse me_ for voicing an opinion." XR turned back to his console in a huff. No one ever seemed to care what he thought. It wasn’t fair. Then again, there were more important things to worry about, like the fact that they were probably all going to die any minute now.

He sighed and continued monitoring the readouts on his panel.

* * *

"Good work, Phermos!" Nebula raised a fist in the air. The Phlegmian commander had needed a considerable amount of coaching, but now he was finally hitting his stride and leading his ships in well-ordered strikes against their attackers. They’d already brought down two of Zurg’s smaller vessels, and Nebula could hear the pride in Phermos’s nasally voice.

"Thank you," the Phlegmian commander sniffed. "Any further," another sniff, "orders?"

Nebula shrugged. "Just keep doing what you’re doing. Nebula out." Maybe they were in with a chance after all. If he could turn the Phlegmians in a fighting force, anything was possible.

He looked out the blastshield. Brizaran was still leading her own people in aggressive attacks against anyone foolish enough to cross their path. There was a field of debris around their section of the blockade, and the purple shards of metal floating in the vacuum made it quite clear just who was on the losing side of these skirmishes. Nebula knew the Tigrans would need no advice from him.

There was a burst of static from the comm system. "C-zzz-mmander," gasped an urgent voice. "Zzz-eavy fire. Repeat, we’re under heavy fire." An explosion could be heard in the background. "Plea-zzz—elp us!"

It was the Gargantian colonel. Their fleet had been small—in more ways than one—but they’d still insisted on joining the fight to defend the Alliance, something Nebula had respected deeply. Now it looked like they were in trouble.

"Colonel Massivitor," he responded, "this is Nebula. I’ve located your position on the screen. Your fleet is surrounded—do you want backup?"

"Help us!" He wasn’t sure if he was getting through to the other ship—their receivers might have been down. But they were still crying out for assistance. "We won’t la-zzz long!"

Nebula punched one of the other comm buttons. "Nebula to Captain Astri."

"Astri here," came the smooth, polished voice of the Tangean military commander. Nebula could practically see him stroking his sideburns as he spoke.

"We have a situation with the Gargantians. They’re taking heavy fire from all sides—and we both know they don’t have a snowball’s chance if they don’t get any backup soon. Could your ships give ‘em a helping hand?"

There was a pause and then an uncomfortable sigh. "I’m not sure I can spare anyone—we’re leading the assault in our section. Some of Zurg’s ships might get through if we pull out to help the Gargantians..."

"For pete’s sake, Astri, if you don’t help them they’ll be slaughtered!"

"Regrettable, of course." He could hear the Tangean squirming. "But strategically speaking, their squadron was never of any value anyway. You know they can’t take out anything bigger than a one-man fighter, Commander. They’re at their most useful right where they are, distracting some of Zurg’s ships while the rest of us go on the offensive. It makes no tactical sense to send my armada away from our position just to save _them_."

Nebula felt the metal almost buckling beneath his hands where he was gripping the console. He forced himself to keep his calm. "Captain Astri," he said slowly, "you may think the Gargantians are expendable, but I don’t intend to come out of this fight with one less man or woman than I can help! So you get your sorry hide over there and you—"

There was a shrill beep from the other screen. He shifted his attention to the tactical display and felt himself grow cold. "Sweet Mother of Venus..."

They’d just lost the Gargantians. Every last ship.

* * *

This was what he’d been born for. There was blood in the water, and he was the shark. Zurg surveyed the chaos from on high, resting in his throne as the fleets battled it out before him. When one of the Grubs had announced the destruction of the Gargantian ships, he’d laughed. An actual, proper, deep, belly laugh. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so good. Okay, so maybe it had been a waste of time going after those ships—they were meaningless, unimportant. Too minuscule to pose a threat to his might. But it had amused him to surround them and watch them fight to the death, giving it their all as if it made one tiny, itty-bitty shred of difference. Then he’d ordered his ships to close in for the kill, and just like that the Gargantians had been snuffed out. The first of many.

He knew he’d lost some of his own ships already, but his fleet could easily handle the losses. And he had the advantage of not caring about the crews that were killed. There were always more Grubs to take their place. Smiling to himself, Zurg folded his hands across his lap and checked the time. Everything was still on schedule.

His pulse quickened. This was it—he could scarcely believe it. Capital Planet at last. It was in sight—that maddeningly bright jewel of the Galactic Alliance, where all the smug, stupid politicians sat in their Senate chambers and pretended they were doing the galaxy a favour just by existing. Oh, how he wished he could be there to see their faces now, as they cowered under their seats in terror.

Brilliant streaks of light flared against the dark as ships fought each other. He watched, entranced. It was beautiful in its own way. Vague memories stirred in his mind—watching the jubilee fireworks when he was just a boy, clasping his grandmother’s gnarled hand. It was the last time he’d seen her smile, he realised. They’d both been so happy. And then, only days later, he was being shipped off far away, and nothing was ever the same again.

But this... this was just as beautiful as those fireworks had been. Perhaps even more so. He knew Nana would’ve smiled if she’d been there to see it.

* * *

"Star Cruiser 36, cut off that fighter that’s trying to slip past you through the blockade!" Turner heard Captain Lightyear order over the radio.

"Acknowledged, sir!" She swung the ship around, nodding to her team. They knew what to do.

To her right, Frank was keeping an eye on enemy activity around them, alerting her if any of the war cruisers were getting too close. Behind him, Janet was monitoring the ship’s status. So far they’d been lucky—no direct hits. All systems functioning normally. And behind Turner, Flarn was charging the laser canons and locking onto the small, sleek ship they were chasing.

"Fire!" Turner yelled as soon as they had a clear shot.

Flarn grunted, which passed for a "yes, ma’am!" with him, and a streak of light surged forth from beneath the cruiser. It burst straight through the centre of the fighter, burning a round hole that buckled around the edges and collapsed in on itself, taking the fighter with it in a dazzling explosion of light. When the debris cloud cleared, there was little left of their target.

"Nice work," nodded Turner.

Frank frowned at his screen. "Three Z-class raiders to our left, closing in fast."

"On it!"

The ship turned again, facing their attackers and smashing into them with rapid bursts of fire. The enemy vessels retaliated with a barrage of torpedos.

Turner glanced at Flarn, watching as the red alien frantically worked the controls, trying to shoot down the torpedos before any of them reached the cruiser. There were advantages to having four hands, and Turner knew she’d made the right choice in putting him on tactical. She swerved to the right as one torpedo got through Flarn’s fire, and let the projectile plunge harmlessly through empty space. It was a smart bomb, of course, and immediately corrected its course to follow them, but this time Flarn was able to shoot it down.

A concentrated burst from one of the raiders’ plasma canons slammed into the side of the cruiser. Turner was jolted forward, banging her chin on the throttle. Cursing, she spun the ship around and nodded to Flarn to return fire with extreme prejudice.

"Massive power loss to all systems!" Janet called. "The fusion generator took a heavy beating, and emergency backups aren’t responding!"

_Craters_. Turner weighed her options. "Get down to engineering," she ordered the other woman. "See what you can do. We can manage up here without you."

"Ha, glad to know I’m so indispensable." With a hollow chuckle Janet jumped from her chair and left the bridge.

"A war cruiser coming in above us, joining the raiders," Frank reported. Turner wondered how he always kept his voice so calm. Maybe he knew she needed his serenity to keep her own mind clear.

"Fantastic," she muttered. "Turner to Lightyear, we’ve got our hands full over here—can you spare any backup?"

The comm crackled. "Hang in there, 36. We’re almost done cleaning up a few war cruisers in our section, and then I can lend you 54."

Turner was glad the line was audio only, so Lightyear didn’t have to see her cringe. "Understood. We’ll do our best, but we’re outnumbered and outgunned out here. If you could hurry things along, that would be real great. Turner out."

"Don’t worry, Captain," said Frank. "We can handle it."

She flashed him a tired smile. "Thanks." As long as Frank was sure, she knew they were going to be okay. The only person she trusted more than her partner was her fiancé, and in the heat of battle she suspected even Sal came second to Frank. _Sal,_ she thought, a cold feeling running down her spine. _I hope he’ll be okay._ He was with Captain Kayuga, manning the weapons station. She wished he’d stayed on the station in the records office, but Star Command needed weapons specialists more than it needed filing clerks at the moment.

"Alright then, let’s see how many of these boys we can take down before Vok’s team gets here," she announced with forced enthusiasm.

* * *

With 54's help, 42 had managed to hold their own against the war cruiser, disabling its weapons and engines and letting it drift harmlessly through empty space, where it got picked off by a squadron of Beta Bayouian dogships. Another cruiser had quickly taken its place, sneaking up on 54 and blasting off one of their landing struts. XR had wrung his hands nervously as he watched, but together the two Star Comamnd vessels drove back the war cruiser with their combined fire, blowing off jagged shards of its outer panelling with every shot.

He had to hand it to Team Vok—they weren’t being quite as useless as they usually were. And of course Buzz didn’t seem to know how to be anything less than infuriatingly exceptional, so the robot knew his own team was in good hands.

As he studied the fleet readouts that were coming in on Mira’s console, he wondered if maybe they were in with a chance after all. Two to one, perhaps? Not odds he’d like to lay money on, but they’d faced worse. Zurg had the bigger fleet and certainly the more impressive one compared to the mismatched band of ships the Alliance had put together alongside Star Command’s cruisers, but his ships were crewed by Grubs and Brain Pods, hardly the universe’s greatest tacticians. Their strategy was brute force, hoping to overwhelm the Rangers through sheer numbers. They did have Zurg behind them to hand out more complex instructions, but he couldn’t focus on every ship at once. Meanwhile, Star Command had experienced Rangers at the helm of every cruiser, and Commander Nebula was coordinating the civilian ships. It ultimately came down to a battle of brains versus brawn. XR hoped brains would prove once again to be superior.

"Can you take it from here?" Captain Vok asked over the comm line, as the second war cruiser retreated back to the safety of its fellows, leaving the space around 42 momentarily clear.

Buzz nodded. "I think we’re good. Go give 36 a helping hand—and keep yourselves safe," he added. "We haven’t lost any Rangers yet and I don’t intend to start now."

"Believe me, Lightyear," said the avian Ranger on the scree, "none of us want to end up on a casualty list. Vok out."

XR thought about the Gargantians. Mira had announced their destruction a few minutes before, her voice hushed as she watched the tragedy playing out on her screen. The ships exploded one by one as the concentrated fire from the enemy broke through their thin hulls. He’d heard Booster whimper softly.

Buzz had only seemed to grow more determined when he saw the carnage. "Zurg is going to pay for this," he’d said through gritted teeth.

XR rolled his eyes. As if muttering vengeful cliches was going to bring the Gargantians back. Sometimes he wondered if Buzz lived in the real world.

The Gargantians dying had made everything a little _too_ real for his liking, though. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way—for all his cynicism, XR knew "the good guys win in the end and everyone lives happily ever after" was how the story was meant to go. Maybe not quite as tidy as that in real life—Team Lightyear had certainly seen their share of messy endings in their many adventures—but things always turned out kind of okay, right? They always saved the day and flew off into the sunset.

But then the president had died and they hadn’t found the assassin and then there’d been those ships on the galactic frontier and they’d never found out who was behind them or why and they hadn’t been able to save the crews because they were all dead and then Zurg had started attacking the Galactic Alliance and then Jo-Ad had fallen and now the Gargantians were dead and maybe they were going to lose again and—

"XR!" Buzz’s stern voice snapped him out of it. "I asked for a status report."

Right, right, this was no time for panicking. _Gotta stay focused on the job_. XR scanned over the text on his screen. "Not great, but not terrible. Not that I find that especially comforting, I mean we still have plenty of time to get into terrible territory, but it could be worse, is what I’m saying. Our main systems are all still functioning. There’ve been a few power dips and gravity’s down in the forward hold—that’s gonna be a mess to clean up, let me tell you—and you won’t believe how dented the—"

"Thank you, Ranger, that’ll do." Buzz turned away. "Okay, Team, we’re still in pretty good shape so let’s take the offensive. We’re not just here to hold Zurg back, we’ve got to take the fight to him."

"Meaning?" Mira kept one eye on her screen, pointing to a fighter heading their way. Buzz nodded and veered around it, while Booster shot it down. No one needed to speak—they all knew how to play their parts by now.

"Meaning we need to get close to the Dreadnought so we can do some real damage!" Buzz slammed his fist on the helm. "The rest of these ships are unimportant. They’re Zurg’s firepower, sure, but each one of them individually is disposable. We have to hit him where it hurts—his own ship. If we can cripple the Dreadnought, we stand a real chance of winning."

XR folded his arms. "One little problem here, skipper—Zurg’s surrounded by his fleet! How are we going to get through all that without being blown to atoms?"

"It’s a pity the LGMs still haven’t come up with foolproof cloaking technology," Mira sighed. "If we had that, I could slip the shuttle through undetected..."

Buzz gave her another of his patented Stern Lightyear Looks. "I told you last time, Princess, no solo missions. We need other options. Any suggestions?"

XR shifted uncomfortably when he realised Buzz’s gaze was on him. "Hey, don’t look at me, I’ve got nothing!" The last thing he wanted was to get near the Dreadnought. It made 42 look like a toy boat berthed next to a cruise liner, and they hadn’t exactly come off well in some of their previous encounters with the warship, such as that trash compactor incident. "The only way we’re going to get through there is if we blast a path through Zurg’s fleet, and we all know that’s not happening."

There was a low cough to his left. Both XR and Buzz turned to Booster. The Jo-Adian twiddled his thumbs nervously. "I, uh, I was just thinking..."

"Yes?" Buzz prompted.

"Well, um, you know, with the Gargantians... Well, Zurg wants a slaughter, right? So why don’t we give him one?"

XR rolled his optics. "Yeah, that sounds like a solid plan. A-plus stuff there." Poor old Booster—ever since Jo-Ad had fallen, the big guy had been out of it. He wished there was something he could say to help his friend, but he’d never been good at that sort of thing. Emotional support was supposed to be Mira’s department, just like pretentious catchphrases were Buzz’s. Now, if you needed a sexy robot with a quick wit...

"What I mean, um, what I mean is... we could distract them." Booster shrugged. "What if one of the cruisers pretended to be really badly damaged? I-if Zurg sent out a bunch of ships to destroy the Gargantians, just think what he’d do if he thought he could take out a star cruiser!"

Buzz was nodding. "And if the rest of the fleet was keeping his front line ships busy, he’d have to thin out his other forces to surround the cruiser..."

"...making it easy for us to get through," continued Booster. "And—and if we had a few ships with us for protection... maybe the Beta Bayouians... we might just be able to make it all the way to the Dreadnought!"

"Or we might become space scrap," finished XR.

"Hey, it’s worth a shot," said Mira. "Unless you’ve got a better idea?"

XR shrugged in defeat.

Buzz was stroking his chin. "Nebula could position some of his ships near the cruiser we use as bait, so when Zurg’s forces are moving in for the kill, they can come to the rescue. Meanwhile, with so many of Zurg’s ships busy, we’ll punch our way through to the Dreadnought and do as much damage as we can." His eyes began to light up. "Maybe if we can get close enough, Mira could even ghost us aboard..."

"Let me just state now, for the record," said XR, "that I think this is the stupidest plan since that time you made us dress up as Alterian mimes on the Siris IV stakeout. Only this one is a lot more likely to get us killed!"

"This isn’t about us, XR," Buzz replied, already patching commands into the comm, presumably notifying the fleet of his plans. "This is about the fate of entire Galactic Alliance. Our lives aren’t important."

Great, more heroic cliches. Buzz ought to start a line of t-shirts. _Probably already has one_. XR sighed. Oh well, what could you do? Like it or not, he was a Space Ranger and if Buzz was going to save the Galactic Alliance through some crazy suicidal mission, then he was going to do his part as well. "Fine, fine," he gave in. "But we’d better get a medal when this is over. Something big, preferably gold. I’m thinking twenty-four carat." He turned back to his station. Time to stare at the blinky lights some more and hope no more damage alerts flashed on.


	23. Chapter 22

Something had happened, that was for sure. Ty stared at the site Romac had taken him to. Broken foliage, marks in the mud, a flattened piece of ground surrounded by singed grass as though something had crashed there. Yes, sir, something was going on alright. The Ranger didn’t have the faintest idea _what_ , though.

Romac bent over a patch of clear ground, showing him a trail of footprints. The impressions were small, with a curved toe and a heel that dug deep into the ground. Boots by the look of it. Just what Savy had been wearing, and just the right size. Ty was becoming more and more certain the girl had been there, though what had become of her was anyone’s guess.

"You think whoever was here kidnapped her?" he asked the Grounder.

Romac shrugged. "Could be. If she overheard something important..."

"Right. But if that’s the case..." Ty frowned, not liking the direction his instincts were leading him. "She wouldn’t be worth the trouble of keeping alive, would she? They’d just get rid of her. Maybe not here—too close to the campsite, too much risk of her body being found. But somewhere else. They took her away to kill her, didn’t they?" She was probably already dead by then. Too late, too damn late...

"Maybe, maybe not. We still don’t know who was here or why. She could be just fine."

Ty wasn’t sure if Romac was just trying to ease his mind or if he genuinely believed that. He decided the Grounder didn’t seem like the type to bother with false hope. "Okay, so if they don’t kill her, what do they do with her?"

"Take her with them, back to wherever they’re basing themselves. Who knows, maybe she’s useful to them somehow, as a hostage perhaps. Or something else. There are a lot of reasons they might keep her alive, though not all of them are good..."

Ty grimaced. Of course. There were always worse options. "Any clue where we might find them?"

Romac shrugged. "No. But I might be able to find out back at the village."

"Great, let’s go."

The Grounder stopped him. "Whoa there, Parsec. You’re a Space Ranger—do you really think they’re going to talk to you? If you show up there asking questions, you lose any chance of finding that girl alive. Let me handle this. They’re my people, they trust me."

_But do_ I _trust you?_ Ty couldn’t shake his paranoia. It was awfully convenient that he just happened to bump into this Grounder right when he was out of leads. Sure, the universe sometimes worked like that, but not for him. Only for people like Buzz. When it came to luck, his was located distinctly on the negative end of the spectrum. Still, Romac had a point. "Fine. But let me know the moment you learn anything."

"Will do." The Grounder gave him a mock salute. "You can hang around the outskirts of the village if you like. Just keep out of sight. I’ll meet you there when I’m done."

Ty nodded, following Romac as they trudged on through the jungle. "One more thing," he said, pausing. "Why are you helping me? This goes beyond just ‘professional interest’, I know that much."

The Grounder threw a smirk over his shoulder. "Hey, you Rangers aren’t so bad. Figured it couldn’t hurt to lend a hand—you know, good karma and all that mumbo jumbo my friend 57 is always going on about. Besides, I don’t like the idea of a kid being kidnapped any more than you do. Always had a soft spot for children."

"Really?" Ty was surprised. The Grounder didn’t seem the type. "Got any of your own?"

"Nope." Romac uttered a wry chuckle. "No time for that." Somehow that didn’t sound like the whole story, but Ty didn’t inquire any further. They kept walking.

* * *

"Hey, kiddos!" Janet burst through the doors as they swirled open, stepping onto the bridge. "I earned my pay for the week—the generator’s purring like a kitten again! Miss anything important?"

Flarn shrugged with one set of arms. "Guess what Lightyear wants us to do."

"Oh? The pride of Star Command has spoken from on high and given us lowly mortals orders?"

"Hey, cut it out." Turner shot her a look. "Captain Lightyear wants us to act as a decoy to lure some of Zurg’s ships away so he can sneak through the fleet and get to the Dreadnought."

Janet groaned as she slipped into her chair. "He wants us to _what_?"

"You heard me. We’ve got to make it look like we’re disabled so all the sharks will come circling."

"Great, so I work my arse off fixing the generator and now we have to shut it down and act like sitting ducks while Lightyear has all the fun?"

Frank offered her a sympathetic smile. "Sorry, Cole, but we have our orders."

"Screw our orders. Screw Lightyear. Why’s it got to be us? Why can’t Vok or Kayuga be the bait?"

She could tell Turner was losing her patience, but she didn’t care. It wasn’t fragging fair.

Turner took a deep breath. "Look, I know you don’t like it. Neither do I. But we took a heavy pounding—54 didn’t. Zurg will know something’s up if they’re suddenly dead in the water, but it’ll make sense if it’s us."

"And what’s gonna keep us from getting murdered out there while we’re playing dead, eh?" Janet folded her arms. "Did Lightyear think of that?"

"There’ll be backup standing by to help us out," said Turner. "Besides, they won’t be expecting us to fight back. We’ll have the element of surprise on our side."

"Fat lot of good that’ll do us when we’re surrounded by warships, mate," the technician muttered to herself. Oh, this day was turning out just _brilliant_.

* * *

The village wasn’t what he’d expected. Images of tatty huts, weathered stone structures, and livestock wandering through muddy streets had flashed through his mind. Not this.

Ty leaned against the corrugated metal of an old shed, hidden in the shadows as he stared into the village. It wasn’t the Tangean royal palace, that was for sure—couldn’t be more different, really. But there were stone pavers sunk into the ground, making up neat roadways that twined between the buildings. A few storefronts lined the main street, built with concrete walls and metal roofs. The paint was chipped and faded, and the roofs were red with rust, but he could see computer terminals within some of the stores, along with power cells and vidscreens. There was an eclectic mix of vehicles parked throughout the village—hover bikes, the odd jalopy that looked like it hadn’t passed a space worthiness test in decades, and even a couple of wooden carts drawn by smooth reptilian animals that he guessed passed for horses on Tangea. The modern and the primitive existed side by side in perfect harmony.

The houses looked much like the shops, only smaller and sometimes better maintained. Many of them were surrounded by little gardens, where assorted fruit-bearing plants and a few unfamiliar veggies sprouted up in thick clusters. Those homes that didn’t have room for a garden had pots made out of old metal buckets and tins sitting on their flat roofs, and the plants seemed to flourish up there just as well as on the ground.

As for the people themselves, they were dressed in much simpler clothes than Romac—an array of beiges and browns coloured the plain cloth of their jackets and tunics—but they certainly weren’t wearing rags. Ty noted that the men and women seemed to dress much the same, though a few of the women bound long strips of cloth around their heads, presumably as some sort of rustic fashion statement.

The villagers all strode along with purpose, most of them carrying out some little task such as carting wood or sweeping the street. It looked like a simple life, but there were no grass huts to be seen, and besides a couple of fat birds that looked like purple chickens, the streets were free of loose livestock.

Ty rested his head against the cold metal. Romac had gone into a building at the far end of the street that Ty guessed was the local tavern, and after half an hour there was still no sign of him emerging. The Ranger tried not to get too impatient. _I mean, hey, we’re only here to save the life of a young girl, no big deal._ He sighed. Okay, so maybe it was taking Romac awhile to find answers, fair enough. But time was of the essence.

Just when he was considering marching into the bar himself to make sure the Grounder hadn’t ditched him, he saw the familiar leather-clad figure push through the doors. Romac glanced around furtively, then headed for the old shed. Ty hailed him when he was within earshot.

"Learn anything?"

"Not much," the Grounder sighed, ducking behind the metal structure. "There’s more to this than meets the eye—something big’s going down, and whoever’s behind it is covering their tracks well."

"Oh?" Ty tried to hide his disappointment. The old feelings of suspicion crept back again—had Romac really had trouble finding anything, or was he part of it too?

Romac nodded. "One of the guys did say he’d seen the offworlder who was here, though. Yellow fella, four arms. Didn’t catch his name."

Something was ringing a bell. Ty mentally ran through Star Command’s Most Wanted list, ignoring the perennial list toppers like Zurg and Warp Darkmatter. Torque—that was the name he was looking for. He’d never met the guy, but Buzz had had a few run-ins with him. He was the biggest of the small fry—not a tyrannical megalomaniac with delusions of galactic domination, but if there was smuggling, theft, or the odd black market deal to be made, you could bet Torque was involved. And a brief alliance with Zurg had left the alien with a cloning device in his chest, making him all the more formidable.

"I think I know the guy," Ty told Romac. "Torque. We’ve arrested him a few times, but it looks like he’s busted out of jail again."

"He doesn’t matter though," said Romac, surprising Ty. "He’s not the one we’re after. The people I talked to said they think this guy’s just the middleman. Seems like there’s someone else behind him calling the shots."

"Any idea who?"

"No, that’s the big mystery. Couldn’t find out a thing. Whoever they are, they want to keep a low profile."

Ty nodded, thinking. "Hmm, maybe so. But our business is finding Savy, and Torque’s gotta be the one who has her. I don’t care about mysteries, I just want to get that girl back safe and sound. Does anyone know where this Torque guy is?"

Romac shook his head. "Nope. I was thinking, though—he’s not staying in the village and he wouldn’t risk parking a ship in orbit with all the Ranger activity in this sector lately, so that means he must’ve landed somewhere on the surface. And it’s probably nearby, because even if he has a bike, no outworlder wants to spend too long in the Tangean jungle."

Grinning, Ty glanced around. "Know any good places to land a ship?"

* * *

"It’s working!" Mira watched the movement of the tiny flashing spots on her screen which indicated the vessels around them. "Some of Zurg’s ships are moving out to attack Cruiser 36!"

Buzz smiled. "Perfect. Are the Bayouians ready?"

Mira nodded. "They’re all in alignment around us."

"Then let’s do this."

42 rocketed forward, leaving the blockade and the fighters that had been swarming at their heels behind them. The squad of Beta Bayouians flew in formation around the cruiser, firing at any enemy ships in their path. The way was relatively clear, however, with Nebula directing the rest of the fleet to keep as many of Zurg’s ships busy as possible.

Mira kept her eyes on the scanner. She could sense the tension in Buzz as he maneuvered the cruiser through the field of enemy ships around them. Blazes of colour streaked outside the ship, but Buzz’s expert piloting skills kept them safe. The Beta Bayouian dogships were descending on any vessels that tried to come near, living up to their name as they tore apart attackers like a pack of wolves. Booster had been right to suggest them for the escort—there was a streak of savagery in their people that remained untamed even after twelve years of Galactic Alliance membership. Mira had heard there were still clandestine slave traders operating in the backwaters of their planet, selling alien prisoners captured during offworld raids, and she could well believe it.

Their initial success was starting to wane, however. Zurg’s forces thickened the deeper into the fleet they got, and the cruiser began to shake as enemy fire got through in spite of Buzz’s efforts. Warships were moving in to cut them off, closing the gaps they’d been slipping through. Mira glanced around at her team, her brow feeling moist with sweat.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" she asked. She could see Booster wringing his hands nervously. This had been his idea, and it was clear he was starting to have doubts of his own.

Buzz remained steadfast. "It has to work. We’ll get through, don’t you worry, Mira."

A fighter slid up beside them, blasting at the side windows. Mira jolted from the impact, but the tough plastiglass held against the limited firepower of the smaller vessel. One of the dogships torpedoed the fighter and it bloomed brightly in a fiery explosion. Then there was another flash of light as the dogship was torn apart by the pulse cannons of a war cruiser.

Mira blinked. It had happened so fast that she was still registering it when another dogship exploded.

"They’re hitting the Bayouians," she gasped. "They want to strip away our defences!"

"They’re not taking us down," insisted Buzz. "Booster, hit those ships with everything we’ve got! We’re gonna make it to the Dreadnought or die trying!"

Mira heard XR groan. "Buzz, have you ever considered that maybe you use that phrase too often? What’s wrong with ‘live failing’ as an alternative?" the robot asked.

Smiling for a moment, Mira checked the activity on her monitor and the smile dropped from her face. "Man, Buzz, there are a lot of ships closing in on us. Zurg does _not_ want us breaking through the fleet and he’s making darn sure we won’t!"

"That’s because he knows I can beat him if we go one-on-one." Buzz pushed the throttle down further. "All the more reason we need to punch through."

"Sure, great, but, uh, Buzz, they outnumber us _at least_ ten to one," said Mira. "Not enough of them were lured away by our decoy and our escorts are taking heavy damage!"

"We can handle it."

Buzz always sounded so sure, so determined... Mira wondered what was going through his head. Did he really believe they could do it? Maybe, and maybe that belief was what always sustained them against incredible odds. But there was something to be said for facing reality too, and reality wasn’t looking too good just then. She found herself thinking about the shuttle again. Perhaps one extra ship would make all the difference... but no, Buzz would never let her do it. She sighed.

* * *

"42's still attempting to break through the fleet." It was one of the Brain Pods speaking to him, with that dull, slightly nervous voice so many of them had. Zurg looked up.

"Well of course they are, do you think Lightyear’s going to give up so easily? He thinks if he just gets close enough, he can win." The trap had been obvious from the start—Zurg knew Star Cruiser 36 wasn’t as badly damaged as they appeared. Even if they were, they wouldn’t sit around waiting to be picked off. He’d seen Captain Turner in action before, and she was too good a Ranger for that. No, this was all part of some scheme, and when Lightyear had started pushing through the fleet it had all clicked into place. Well, Zurg would play his game. He sent out many of his ships to surround Cruiser 36, opening a path for Buzz.

Now the Brain Pods and Grubs were getting worried. He couldn’t really blame them—even those who’d never actually met Buzz had had the fear of him hammered into them often enough, and not just from Zurg’s many defeats at his hands. The emperor knew that stories rippled through the ranks about his foe, ascribing almost supernatural powers to him. For many of the Grubs, Buzz Lightyear was their version of the bogeyman. Zurg let the stories spread unhindered; it stopped many from defecting. The devil you knew was always better than the one you didn’t. Luckily, however, Buzz was no demon or even an avenging angel, however much the man might think he was. There was no reason to be afraid.

Zurg winced when the fast hammering in his chest wouldn’t go away.

He leaned forward casually. "Why don’t we make things easier for him? If he wants the Dreadnought, we’ll give it to him. Tell the fleet to open a path, and move us forward!"

There was murmuring from below.

"But sir," the Brain Pod protested, "if we do that, we’ll expose ourselves to the full power of Star Command’s fleet!"

Zurg nodded. "And if we stay here, we won’t get anything done at all. It’s time for us to take our place in the heat of battle, where we belong! I didn’t spend seventy million uni-bucks on this ship just to sit on the sidelines!"

"Er, yes, as you wish, Your Evilness."

There was a loud hum from the engines as they fired up, reverberating through Zurg’s bones. He leaned back in his chair, imagining the look of surprise on Buzz’s face when he saw the Dreadnought ploughing forward.

He would not be frightened by Lightyear. Not this time.

As an afterthought, he turned to one of the Grubs working at communications. "Oh, and destroy Star Cruiser 36."

* * *

The treetops rippled beneath them as they passed over, gusts of leaves swirling upwards in the wake of Romac’s bike and Ty’s jetpack. Ty felt like apologising to all the forest creatures they were probably disturbing, then realised how silly that sounded.

At first he’d suggested going on foot, but Romac pointed out they’d cover far more ground from the air, and had promptly gone to pick up his bike. Ty agreed, reluctantly giving up the idea of stealth. Finding Savy quickly was all that mattered.

They’d already passed over several clearings, but most were too small for a spaceship to land and all appeared empty. He’d called the palace, asking if they’d picked up any unusual space traffic recently, but they admitted that in the confusion surrounding the arrival of evacuee ships, it would’ve been easy for someone to slip through the planet’s atmosphere unnoticed.

He scanned the ground, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Just trees. Lots and lots of trees. Sometimes he could see through the thick canopy of leaves to the jungle floor below, but usually it was just a bumpy, rolling sea of green-and-blue foliage. His eyes lifted to his companion. Romac’s dark leathers no longer looked so out of place now that he was atop the bike, and they were accompanied by a matching helmet with a tinted visor that made it impossible to read the Grounder’s face.

"See anything?" he asked, trying to break the silence that had followed them since they’d left the village.

Romac shook his head.

Ty sighed. It was possible Torque had already left, in which case they were just wasting time, but he didn’t think so. He wasn’t one to go on about Ranger instinct like Buzz, but his gut was telling him Torque was still on the planet, and he had Savy. It was just a matter of finding him.

"Hold on, what’s that over there?" Romac suddenly pointed to a distant clearing, where a dark shape was nestled between the surrounding trees.

Halting, Ty pressed a button on his suit and a scope emerged from behind his neck, rolling upwards and over his eyes. He stared at the clearing and the binocular-like scanner auto-focused on the shape, details appearing as it zoomed in. _Oh yeah, that’s a ship alright._ Ty found himself grinning. _Gotcha_.

It wasn’t Tangean or Grounder design, that was clear—it looked like the typical nondescript shuttles you could pick up cheaply on the Trade World black market. Perfect for blending in anywhere. Well, anywhere except the middle of a Tangean jungle.

"I think we just got lucky," Ty told Romac. "That’s gotta be him."

Romac nodded. "So what’s the plan, Space Ranger? Just rush in to the rescue?"

"Too risky. Let’s put down as close as we can without being spotted and make our move from below."

"I hope they don’t have their scanners on," muttered Romac, lowering his bike through the treetops.

"You’re real fun to have around, you know that?"

"Hey, I’m a bounty hunter. I’ve got to think of these things." They descended to the jungle floor. "Not all of us can be filled with the hope and optimism of you Rangers."

Ty chuckled. "Trust me, hope and optimism haven’t been a part of my job for at least twenty years. Not everyone is Buzz Lightyear."

The pair left Romac’s bike hidden inside the hollowed-out trunk of a dead tree and continued on foot, trudging through the leaves and mud. They kept silent as they got closer to the clearing, and Ty was careful to avoid stepping on any twigs that might snap and give away their position. Romac, meanwhile, moved through the jungle with a light-footed grace that reminded him of a wild cat. Somehow the Grounder was able to silently hop over fallen logs and cross streams faster than Ty would’ve believed, making it look as easy as walking over one of the plush carpets in the Tangean royal palace. Ty envied him, hoping he didn’t look like a Raenok blundering through a china shop in comparison.

They crept up on the clearing, circling around to the back of the ship. There was no one in sight, but Romac pointed to a trail of fresh footprints in the dirt. They were too scuffed to tell if Savy’s were amongst them, but at least they knew Torque had returned to the ship.

"What now?" whispered Romac. "The hatch is sealed—locked, most likely, though I might be able to crack the code. Or we could just blast our way in. I’ll leave the choice to you."

"Thanks." Ty considered. He preferred the subtle approach, but Savy might not have time for that. But if they went in shooting, she could get hurt just as easily. _Come on, think, Ty, what’s our best option here?_ He thumped his head. Buzz would know what to do. Buzz always knew what to do. Ty wasn’t sure if that thought made him bitter or simply regretful that his old friend wasn’t there to help. "Element of surprise," he decided at last. "Best weapon in our arsenal. If we try to crack the lock, they might notice before we can get through and then we lose that."

"So, guns blazing then?" Romac drew his powitzer from its holster.

"Pretty much." Ty primed his laser, setting it to stun. "You ready?"

"Always."

"On three. One, two, three!"

They opened fire on the hatch. Romac kept up a steady stream of energy bursts while Ty used the concentrated beam of his laser to cut through the locking mechanism. The air grew hot around them and he could hear birds squawking in alarm above the sound of the laser fire, but within seconds it was all over and the door was crumpling away into a folded, melted heap of metal slag.

Barely pausing to let the smoke clear, they jumped through into the ship with weapons raised.

"By the authority of Star Command, I hereby place—" Ty stopped, realising he was addressing an empty room. He scanned the small interior, but he and Romac were the only occupants.

"That was anticlimactic," remarked the Grounder.

Ty lowered his arm, continuing to search the empty vessel in vain. "Shut up, they have to be here somewhere."

"Right here, Ranger boy."

The pair spun around, raising their weapons a moment too late. They came face to face with Torque, two of his arms pointing blasters at them while half a dozen identical aliens did the same.

"Craters." Ty gritted his teeth. They’d sure walked into that one.

"Scanners?" Romac asked.

"You got it, sweetheart." The yellow alien grinned. "Think I wouldn’t be monitoring the area?"

"See, I _told_ you," Romac said to Ty. "Bounty hunter one, Space Ranger zero."

Torque chuckled, his five eyes gleaming. "Nah, you’re both zeroes. Looks like I win, baby!" He cocked the gun to emphasise his point.

_Okay, focus. We can get out of this_. "Where’s Savy?" Ty asked. "The girl—the one you kidnapped."

"What’s it to you?"

"We’re here to find her. Hand her over and we’ll let you go without any trouble."

All the Torques burst into a chorus of gruff laughter. "Oh, that’s rich, baby. You’ll let _us_ go, huh?"

"Just tell me where she is. Is she okay?"

Torque shrugged. "Why don’t you ask her yourself?" Moving aside, he let a short figure step through.

"Hi guys." The blue-haired teen smirked, her hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket. "How’s it going?"

_Savy_. Ty let his laser arm drop to his side. "What’s going on here? Savy, your parents are worried sick about you! What are you doing with these thugs?"

The girl seemed to wince at the mention of her parents, but quickly regained her cool. "Tell my folks I’m fine. Got a job offer. I’m gonna be gone awhile."

"A job? Working for Torque?" Ty blinked. "Are you crazy?"

"What kind of job?" asked Romac.

One of the clones waved a finger in his face. "Uh-uh-uh, that’s need-to-know info, sweetheart."

Torque studied the Grounder. "Whatcha doing getting all pally with Ranger scum anyway? You don’t look like the type."

"Well, my afternoon was free and I needed something to do," shrugged Romac with a grin. "But you’re right, I’m no Space Ranger collaborator. If you’ve got a better offer..."

"You thinking about signing up with us?" Torque raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe."

Ty bared his teeth at the Grounder in a scowl. "So _that’s_ why you came along. All that talk about wanting to save the kid—just lies, huh? You wanted me to lead you to Torque so you could join him!"

"Hey, I did tell you I was here out of professional interest." Romac smiled. "You should’ve taken the hint."

Rubbing his scraggly beard, Torque looked Romac up and down and turned to the clones. "Whaddaya say, boys—think we should keep him?"

One of them nodded. "The boss could use some extra muscle, right, Torquester?"

"It’s a deal then, sweetheart." Torque thrust out one of his hands and Romac shook it. "Just remember, you take orders from us, capiche?"

"No problem."

Savy leaned a hand on her hip and looked at Ty. "What are we going to do with this one, guys? I could disable all the electronics in his suit and we could dump him in the middle of the jungle somewhere. By the time he gets back to the palace, we’ll be long gone."

"Ha, sure, kiddo," Torque laughed. Then his grin dropped and he raised one of the blasters. "Not a chance. He knows too much—he ain’t getting away alive."

"W-what?" Savy frowned. "But... but you said..."

Shrugging, Romac pointed his own gun at Ty as well. "Fine by me. You have no idea how much this guy was getting on my nerves."

"Sweet—wanna do the honours?" Torque folded his lower set of arms. "Prove that you’re one of the team?"

"You got it."

Ty flinched as Romac’s finger stroked the trigger, squeezing it down slowly. _I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him_. Out the corner of his eye he could see Savy staring on in horror, but not moving to stop them. He took a deep breath and braced himself for the impact. The Grounder was aiming straight for his head, so at least it would be quick. Not the best consolation in the world, but hey, every little thing helped when you were facing imminent death, right?

"Sorry, Ranger," said Romac. "This isn’t how I wanted this to end, but that’s the way it goes sometimes."

"Yeah, whatever. Just do it."

Romac nodded, squeezing the trigger further. He winked. In the split second it took Ty to process this, the Grounder spun around and took out three of the clones with a swift succession of blasts.

"Duck!" Ty yelled to Savy, throwing himself to the ground as all hell broke loose. His neck felt hot as Torque fired at him, the pulses narrowly missing his head and hitting the inside of the ship, where a panel sparked and fritzed. Rolling through the dirt and onto his knees, Ty jumped up and brought a hand to his laser arm, getting off several shots at the clones, who popped out of existence the moment they were hit.

Romac was still miraculously unharmed and fighting his way through the rapidly diminishing army of Torques. "Get the kid and get out of here!" he called to Ty. "I’ll catch up!"

Nodding, Ty ran for Savy, who had hit the floor and was shielding her head with her hands. "Come on!" He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her up.

"Let go of me, Ranger!" Clawing at his hand, she tried to free herself from his grasp.

"I can get you to safety!"

"I don’t wanna go!" She kicked at his leg, unbalancing him. Ty let go of her as he waved his arms to regain his footing and she scrambled away, running into the ship,

"No, Savy, come back!"

"We have to go!" Romac had reached him and was suddenly dragging him along, firing a few shots over his shoulder as the Torques pursued.

"But Savy—"

"She doesn’t want our help!" The Grounder forced him onwards. "There’s nothing we can do!"

Realising he was right, Ty began to run, shoving through the thick undergrowth as they left the clearing. He ignored the branches that slapped his face, his attention focused solely on getting away as fast as he could. Romac ran ahead of him, and Ty hoped the Grounder knew which way they were going. The jungle all looked the same to him.

"Over here!" Romac gestured to a large tree.

They pulled out the bike and Romac hopped on, while Ty activated his jetpack and launched into the air. The Grounder was right behind him. By now the sounds of pursuit had died down, and Ty allowed himself to breathe. There was still a chance they could be shot down, but their getaway was looking more and more secure.

He couldn’t feel entirely triumphant, however. _I failed. I didn’t get the girl back_.

He wondered what he’d say to her father.


	24. Chapter 23

Mira stared out the blastshield, not even needing to check her bleeping console to know what was happening. She could see it right in front of her. "What’s he doing?"

They’d been under heavy fire, losing several more dogships, when Zurg’s ships had suddenly moved aside, and the thin gap 42 had been trying to cross to reach the Dreadnought had spread wide open. They now had a clear path to Zurg.

And Zurg also had a clear path to them.

The Dreadnought’s engines had powered up and the massive purple ship ploughed forward, rapidly closing the space between itself and 42. Mira exchanged a glance with Buzz.

"So he’s going to bring the fight to us, is he?" Her captain drummed his fingers on the control panel. "Well, Zurg’s finally made his one big tactical mistake. Now we can get close to him!"

"Excuse me, Buzz," XR piped up, "but how exactly are we going to take out the _Dreadnought_? I mean, I know you think you just have to get close enough to yell, ‘evil never wins!’ at Zurg and the day will be saved, but, uh, I don’t think he’s going to make it that easy for us!"

Buzz pushed the thrust lever forward and the cruiser accelerated towards the approaching vessel. "42 may not be a match for the Dreadnought, but I’m more than a match for Zurg. He knows it too, which is why he hasn’t given me the opportunity to take him on one-on-one yet. If Mira can get ghost me aboard his ship, I’ll put a stop to Zurg’s game from within."

Mira raised an eyebrow. "Okay, and how is _Mira_ going to do this? Buzz, if we go out there we’ll be shot to pieces! And even if we aren’t, how are Booster and XR going to handle things by themselves here on the cruiser? 42 needs you at the helm!"

"It’s our only chance, Mira." Sighing, Buzz put a hand on her shoulder. "I _know_ I can stop Zurg if I get aboard. It’s up to you to get me there and it’s up to XR and Booster to keep Zurg distracted. I believe in all three of you, and I’m confident we can pull this off."

Looking into her captain’s earnest eyes, Mira knew she would have to give in. Their whole plan so far had been crazy and suicidal, and it was only going to get worse, but if there was one thing she had faith in, it was the man sitting next to her. They often quarrelled like a pair of Tangean fighting hawks, but when it counted she would always be at his side.

"Okay, Buzz," she said, and the other two rookies nodded their assent as well.

* * *

"I hope Lightyear’s happy!" Janet was yelling above the blaring red alert siren. "We’re getting our arses kicked over here!"

Turner bit her tongue and pulled the ship away from a spread of torpedos. They’d long since stopped playing dead—the bait had worked and now they were surrounded by enemy ships and fighting for their lives. Commander Nebula had flown in with some of the Alliance ships to provide support, but there were only so many vessels he could spare from the rest of the blockade.

"I’m trying to hold them off!" panted Flarn, his arms flurrying over the controls.

"Captain," said Frank, "we’ve got two more ships on our tail!"

Turner hissed out a curse and swerved to the right. This _really_ wasn’t her day. "Where’s 54? I thought Vok was supposed to be watching our back!"

"They’ve got problems of their own," Frank informed her, checking his screen. "They’re tangling with some fighters. One of the Tangean ships is joining us instead."

_Tangeans—great._ She knew Mira Nova and Fop Doppler had made excellent Rangers, but she’d had enough dealings with other Tangeans to know that most of them would rather sit on a silk cushion drinking tea than get down and dirty in a skirmish like this. She hoped their military personnel were of a tougher breed than the royal court.

The graceful Tangean frigate swooped past the cruiser, plunging between the two enemy ships hot on their tail and opening fire. The war cruisers paused their pursuit to return the attack, and Turner used the opportunity to turn 36 around and join the Tangeans. She tried to ignore all the fighters swarming around them—they could deal with those later. They had to take out the war cruisers first.

To her surprise, the Tangean vessel was putting up a good fight, darting around the ships like a slippery eel, always one step ahead of its attackers. She found herself developing a deep respect for whoever their pilot was—even as a Star Command veteran with thousands of hours behind the helm, she knew she could never match that level of skill. Then again, she hadn’t spent her whole life undergoing rigorous mental training, so she wasn’t going to feel too jealous about it.

"Sir, more ships heading this way," Frank reported, his voice still quiet, but no longer as calm as it usually was.

She winced—he almost never called her sir. " _Craters_ ," she said, slipping enough venom into the word to kill a whole Raenok warrior legion. "Are we _ever_ going to get a break?"

* * *

"More ships coming in, Captain!"

"I see them." Captain Astri kept his gloved fingers laced together, watching the translucent, three-dimensional holodisplay that filled the centre of the room. There were no windows on the ship, just as there were no doors. That was something Astri had put a stop to straight away when he was made fleet commander, some ten years before. Where was the logic in having giant windows your enemy could shoot at you through when it was so much better, tactically speaking, to locate your bridge in the heart of the ship? They were Tangeans—they didn’t need any of that primitive nonsense. A holodisplay worked just as well as viewport. Better, in fact, because it gave you a clear view of the whole playing field.

Astri eyed the approaching vessels as they swam through the shimmering air within the display. It was going to be a tough fight. Not his first, but definitely his hardest. He’d gained his promotion during the big flare up of violence between the surface-dwelling Tangeans and the angry Grounder tribes that lived nearby, an incident that had caused so much disruption to Tangea’s normally tranquil routine. It was all forgotten now; a minor clash consigned to the history books, settled by some worthless peace treaty. Neither side had really wanted hostilities to escalate. That would’ve meant engaging each other in combat, and Astri knew how little the two races even liked to acknowledge that the other existed. Personally, he thought the king should’ve taken a firmer stand against the Grounders—they needed putting in their place. But he didn’t make the rules.

There’d been other incidents since then, but this was his first big interstellar engagement. He’d trained his officers frequently for situations like this, staging war games from time to time, but it was quite different being involved in the real thing. Still, nothing his highly-developed intellect couldn’t handle.

"Are our other ships still busy holding their section of the blockade?" he inquired calmly.

The junior officer on communications nodded. "They can’t spare anyone yet, Sir."

"Understood. We will just have to handle the matter ourselves." His fingertips brushed over his greying sideburns, smoothing the hairs. "First things first—I want these two cruisers destroyed." He pointed to the two that had been tailing Star Cruiser 36. "They’re becoming tiresome."

Some of his crew looked at him uneasily. Still fresh and green, so many of them—they hadn’t gotten used to his way of doing things. Astri tsked to himself and shook his head. They would have to learn to accept his impossible orders. He’d become legendary for them—he would tell his soldiers what to do, regardless of how feasible it actually was, and make them do it. Soon they would come to realise that the impossible was within their grasp if they just pushed themselves harder.

"Well?" he demanded when he got no affirmatives from them. "Did someone assign me a crew full of slow-witted Grounders?"

"No, sir," they responded at once, setting to work.

The weaponsman glanced up nervously. "What are your orders, Captain?"

"Go for the engines—that’s their weak point. Strike them there and you’ll have them."

"Yes, sir."

Obedience, that’s what he liked.

They wheeled under one of the enemy ships, slipping alongside one of the hot, glowing engines. The enemy tried to fight them off, but the frigate was far more maneuverable than the war cruiser and had no trouble twisting away from the ion blasts. Their guns swivelled and locked on, firing at the vessel’s powerful thrusters. A tear ripped through the metal casing when the shots slammed into it—a perfect hit.

But there was no time for celebration. Already the second war cruiser was swooping down on them, seeking revenge for the attack that had just crippled its partner. The first ship now lay motionless, the engine burning brighter and brighter as the core began its meltdown.

The frigate had to weave between several pulses from the second ship’s cannons, spinning around in an elegant arc. Not a single shot found its mark. Astri smiled, wondering how other species coped without Tangeans to fly their vessels. How did they do _anything_ by themselves, for that matter? It was a great mystery to him.

"Now for the other. I want them both destroyed." He brushed the wrinkles from his crisp blue uniform. "At once, if you please."

But it wasn’t going to be so easy this time. The enemy knew what they were up to now, and despite the frigate’s best efforts, they couldn’t get close enough to the other ship’s engines to strike the critical blow. The two vessels danced around each other, each looking for weaknesses in the other, while on the sidelines the Space Rangers finished off the disabled war cruiser. Astri wondered if Star Command would take the credit for that kill—it would be typical outworlder behaviour. They loved to think they’d done something important despite having only just evolved opposable digits.

"Sir," whispered the woman monitoring the holodisplay. She was fresh out of training, a villager from the settlement on the surface who’d somehow managed to make it into the academy, and she still kept her head down whenever anyone looked at her. Still, Astri suspected she had the makings of a good officer despite her background. "The incoming cruisers are almost within weapons range."

Astri swivelled to view the display. Ah, now this was going to be a problem. In about thirty seconds they would be surrounded by enemy ships, with only one damaged star cruiser fighting alongside them. Commander Nebula and his ships still had their own hands full, and Star Cruiser 54 was still under siege from a swarm of fighters.

"What are we going to do, sir?" asked the cadet.

He stroked his moustache. "We will destroy them, Cadet." Always let them think you were confident, even when you weren’t. There was no room for weakness in the heat of battle. Unfortunately, however, confidence was no substitute for an actual strategy. "Do we have any plasma bombs left?"

The woman checked the inventory. "One, sir—the big one. That explosion will wipe out anything within a three protospan radius." She coughed. "That includes us and the two star cruisers."

"Then we’ll have to make sure we’re not here when it goes off," he said, as if it were obvious. "Arm the bomb and set the timer—three minutes will give us plenty of time to reach a safe distance."

"But," she gulped, clearly uncomfortable contradicting her superior, "how are we going to stop the enemy ships from following us? They won’t hang around to be blown up—er, sir."

Yes, definite potential in this one. She wasn’t just a follower, she had a mind of her own. But she needed to know her place. "Do as you’re told and arm the weapon, Cadet," he ordered. "The ships won’t leave—not when there’s the scent of blood in the air. They don’t want us, they want to finish off that star cruiser."

The woman’s eyes widened. "Are you suggesting we abandon the Space Rangers, Captain?"

"Not all of them. Tell Cruiser 54 to leave the area at once, if they can shake off those fighters. But 36 has to remain. They _were_ sent here to be bait, you know."

"But not like this!"

Astri frowned. "One star cruiser to destroy seven enemy war cruisers and twelve fighters. That sounds like a bargain to me." He smiled soothingly, like a father explaining to a child why her pet fish had died. "They’ll be destroyed anyway if we do nothing, and so will we. This way we can turn it into a victory."

* * *

"Message coming in from Captain Astri."

Elsu Vok looked at his blond copilot. "What is it?" the bird-like captain hissed, banking the ship sharply as a fighter reared in front of them. "Can’t he see we’re busy?"

"He wants us to clear the area immediately," the other man told him. "No explanation—the blue guy just says we have to get at as far away as we can."

Vok clucked his beak irritably. Who did this Tangean think he was, ordering Space Rangers around and not even telling them why? Couldn’t he see they were still fending off a horde of fighters? "Ask for clarification, Blaze," he instructed. "We’re Space Rangers—we don’t take orders from him."

While Blaze was speaking into the headset, Vok glanced at his other two crewmen. Lenny was running diagnostics and muttering nervously to himself—or themself, Vok still wasn’t sure how Vermilcidian genders worked, it was all too strange and insecty for him—and Sprocket Crockett was fending off their attackers. The young man mopped his brow, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Sprocket was usually the most relaxed person Vok knew—something that annoyed him at times, because he felt his crew never took their missions seriously enough—but the tension had affected even him.

"Astri says we have to get out of here _now_ if we value our lives," Blaze announced, pulling off the headset. "He won’t say why—are we gonna listen?"

Typical Tangean, thinking he knew best. Vok hissed again. "I suppose we have no choice. Crockett, can you clear us a path out of here?"

The lanky Ranger shrugged. "I’ll do my best..."

Their forward cannons kept up a continuous stream of fire, and the fighters dodged out the way, opening a path for the cruiser to pull away. Lenny made buzzing noises to himself and muttered something about a serious drain on the fusion core. But it worked—they were leaving the fighters behind and heading for Nebula’s ships. Vok breathed a sigh of relief. It was good not to be under constant fire anymore.

"Are any of the ships following us?" he asked Blaze.

"No, they’ve turned away and begun circling 36. Turner’s not doing so well—she’s got a whole heap of war cruisers at her heels, and Astri’s just pulled out of the fight. He’s following us."

"Leaving her?" Vok frowned. "Isn’t Turner attempting to follow as well? Surely he gave her the same instructions?"

Blaze shrugged. "Who knows. We don’t know what he’s up to."

Tapping his lower bill thoughtfully, Vok looked out the window. "Turner won’t last long without backup out there. I can’t understand why Astri would—" The words suddenly dropped off his tongue, fading away as a new thought occurred to him. "Did Astri’s ship eject anything before they left?"

Blaze shook his head. "Nope, but they did suffer minor damage to one of the landing fins—left a small trail of debris behind them. Funny thing is, I don’t think they were even hit there."

Vok’s suspicions rose. Astri was a clever one—he’d hidden his tracks well, knowing his plan wouldn’t work if anyone figured out what he was doing. Concealing the bomb within the debris was a stroke of genius. Vok was sure there had to be a bomb—he’d looked at the list of fleet armaments before they’d left Star Command, and he knew what kind of weaponry the Tangean frigate was carrying. Astri must have decided this was the only way to take out all those war cruisers. But his plan would need bait to keep the ships in place when the explosive went off.

_Turner_.

"Open a channel to Star Cruiser 36!" squawked Vok. "Right now!"

Blaze did so, eyeing his captain curiously. "Is something wrong?"

" _Everything_." Vok leaned into the microphone. "Vok to Turner, Vok to Turner!"

"Turner here," the woman’s voice crackled over the radio. "Vok, what in the cosmos is going on? Why did you and Astri leave? We’re getting murdered over here!"

"Get out of there!" Vok was shouting now, and he knew his crew was staring at him, but he didn’t care. "You have to leave at once! I don’t know how much time you have left!"

"Tell me something I don’t know. We’ve got seven war cruisers—"

"The Tangeans left a plasma bomb behind them just before they retreated!"

A pause. "What?"

"He’s setting you up—using you to keep the cruisers there! You have to leave!"

He could hear cursing over the line, probably from Janet Cole, though he heard Turner herself utter a few colourful words too.

"We’re on our way," she told him. "I don’t know how we’re going to get away from all these cruisers, but we’re getting the hell out of here before that bomb goes off!" She paused. "Thanks, Vok. We owe you one. Turner out."

Vok leaned back and sighed. "I just hope I warned you in time."

* * *

"When I get my hands on that slagging Tangean son of a..."

Turner ignored Janet’s growling, focusing her attention on the ships surrounding the star cruiser. Somehow they had to get past seven enemy warships, not to mention all the smaller fighters swarming like pilot fish around a pack of feeding sharks, and do it all before the bomb went off. They were barely keeping themselves _alive_ —how in the name of Venus were they supposed to get out of there?

"I’ll try to hold as many of them off as I can, Captain." Flarn was practically gasping now, his leathery red skin shiny was sweat as his four hands continued to dance over the controls.

_A good man, Flarn_ , she thought. _Still young, but one of the most dedicated Rangers I’ve ever seen_. If they got out of this mess, she was going to recommend he be given a special commendation. They would never have lasted so long without his efforts at tactical.

She didn’t think it was going to be enough, though. Every time Flarn opened a gap, it closed just as quickly. They weren’t making any progress—in fact, the ships were closing in on them, tightening the noose.

"Oh, to hell with it." There was a tiny gap in front of them. It wasn’t big enough for the cruiser, but it was all they had. She shoved the throttle down, and the ship shuddered and groaned but surged forward, not as fast as it should’ve—she wondered how bad the damage to their engines was—but fast enough. The war cruisers realised she wasn’t going to stop and edged away, widening the gap. She was going to get out of there or die trying.

Turner exhaled sharply as they broke through into empty space, but she knew it was far from over. The bomb could go off at any second, and the ships behind them were already pursuing.

"Astri’s going to be furious," Frank murmured. "We’re leading them away from his trap."

"How Astri feels is the last thing I care about right now." They swerved to the left as a torpedo whizzed past.

Despite the massive damage the cruiser had sustained, they were covering ground rapidly and Turner could see Cruiser 54 up ahead, a small white shape in the distance. The occasional blast rocked the ship when they were unable to avoid enemy fire, but they kept going. Turner had to marvel at Star Command engineering—the LGMs really knew their stuff when they built the star cruisers. No Zurg ship could take this kind of punishmment.

Frank’s console emitted a shrill beep. She saw his eyes widen. "Captain..." he began.

He never got to finish, because they all felt it. It was like a giant hand had suddenly grabbed hold of the ship and begun shaking it mercilessly, and space lit up blindingly white outside. Turner banged against the helm, only her seatbelt keeping her from rolling out her chair. Her head crashed into a bulkhead and everything went fuzzy and black. She tried to pull herself up, to regain her bearings, but the world around her was too chaotic. In the back of her mind, she knew what had happened. The bomb had gone off, and they hadn’t cleared the blast field yet. _At least none of Zurg’s ships got away either_ , she thought, half laughing to herself as her vision swam.

There was a loud splintering sound. Cracks were shooting through the viewport where the pressure wave had hit.

"Everybody out!" Her voice sounded hoarse, and she could taste blood. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she tumbled to the floor but somehow managed to find her feet again amidst the rocking. Her crew looked as dazed as she did, but there was no time to coddle them. "We have to get out of here before the blastshield loses integrity!"

Frank steadied himself against the console and checked the readings. "The... the shockwave’s dissipating," he gasped. "There’s just us and one war cruiser left—badly damaged. Everyone behind us was wiped out."

"We’ve got energy leakage from the core," Janet reported as she undid her belt. "It’s gonna blow any second—we have to abandon ship!"

Turner thought about the shuttle, but decided there was no time. It probably wasn’t in any better shape than the cruiser anyway. "Get to the launch tubes!" she ordered.

The cracks were still spreading across the windows.

The team groggily dashed from the bridge, tripping over their own feet but pulling each other on. The rocking was starting to subside, but it still felt to Turner like the whole world was shaking.

They bundled into the launch tubes, and she closed her helmet, bracing herself for ejection. When it came, the force of it knocked her already shortened breath away. When she regained her equilibrium, she was surrounded by stars. Her team was beside her, taking a moment to recover. They didn’t have that moment.

"Head for Star Cruiser 54!" she called to them over radio. "We don’t want to be here when the core goes!" Activating her jetpack, she blasted off, leading the way.

"Vok to Turner," the other captain’s voice came in through her wrist comm. "I’m sending Sprocket and Lenny out to pick you up!"

"Thanks, Vok," she gasped gratefully. "We’re on our way."

"Captain!" Frank’s urgent voice made her twist around. "Look out!"

She dove out the way as a red energy beam surged past. _Craters!_ The war cruiser, though wracked with burning holes and leaking debris, was still pursuing them. It crawled along, one engine half detached, but weapons clearly still operational.

Another shot ripped past, narrowly missing Janet. "Cosmos!" she shrieked. "What do we do _now_?"

"Fly like you’ve never flown before!" It was all they could do. They headed for 54, doing their best to dodge the enemy blasts and keeping apart from each other, so the ship would have four targets instead of one. Turner knew one shot from those powerful cannons would easily tear them to atoms.

Frank swooped in alongside her. "I have an idea, Vanessa."

No one ever called her by her first name, least of all Frank. She looked at him, and the way those dark eyes of his were staring at her made her heart skip a beat. She knew she wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say.

"That cruiser’s on its last legs. One well-placed shot, even from a wrist laser, and they’ll suffer a core meltdown just like 36." His voice was calm again, as if they were discussing strategies for the next flyball championship. "Someone could get in there..."

"You mean _you_ could."

"Well. Yes." He smiled apologetically. "It has to be one of us—we’re the senior officers here. We couldn’t ask the other two to do it. And they need their captain to get them to safety."

Turner swallowed. "Frank, you won’t have time to get clear before the ship goes up."

"I know."

She bit her lip, her eyes stinging. She suddenly wished he wasn’t so crater-fragging calm about the whole thing. "We’ll get to 54. All of us."

A shot overhead seemed determined to undermine her words, missing the pair of them by what seemed like inches. She could feel the heat, even under the thick protection of her suit.

"It’s been an honour, Captain," Frank said.

"Cosmos, Frank, don’t—" But he was already turning away, and she knew she couldn’t order him to stop. He wouldn’t listen, and as much as she hated to admit it, she knew he was right. She felt sick as she watched him go. "I’ve never had a better partner," she whispered into the comm, choking on the words, wondering if he was still listening. "The honour was all mine, Frank."

She sped forward, coming in between the other two Rangers. They hadn’t looked back—they didn’t know. "Come on, guys, we have to make it to 54," she urged.

Janet glanced at her. "Where’s the corporal?"

Turner held her breath and looked over her shoulders. The other two followed her gaze.

Behind them, Frank was slipping past the war cruiser’s cannons, following the long, torn-up hull until he reached the back. He raised his arm and began firing, flying into one of the jagged holes next to the engines.

"Surely he isn’t..." Janet breathed.

Flarn whimpered hoarsely.

"I’m sorry." Turner realised she was crying now, and she wasn’t about to stop. "I’m sorry, I-I’m so sorry, he just..."

The war cruiser exploded.


	25. Chapter 24

Lenny and Sprocket watched, horrified, as the fireball engulfed the war cruiser. One moment it was there, and the next it was a bright blur of explosion and hurtling debris. They’d both seen Corporal Brooks enter the ship. It wasn’t hard to guess what he had been doing.

For once Lenny was too shocked to even buzz to himself, and Sprocket was just as silent. At last they exchanged a glance, and Sprocket nodded towards the remaining three Rangers heading their way.

"Let’s get them aboard," he whispered.

Lenny nodded, and they launched forward.

When they reached the team, Lenny saw the looks of disbelief on each face. Turner— someone the Vermilcidian had always thought was tough enough to face an oncoming plasma storm and laugh—had wet eyes, and the other two Rangers were silent, shell-shocked.

"This way," urged Sprocket, leading the party back towards the cruiser.

Turner sniffed, pulling herself together. "We have to hurry. Our cruiser’s core is in the middle of a meltdown."

They flew as fast as they could, quickly reaching 54's open launch tubes. "You four go in first," said Sprocket. "I’ll be right behind you."

His comm beeped. "Hurry!" It was Vok. "Blaze says the cruiser’s about to blow!"

Lenny was already halfway through the launch tube, but he heard. He almost turned back to let Sprocket go in first instead, but he decided that would just waste time. He crawled down, an action that reminded him of burrowing through the many tunnels crisscrossing the underground cities of Vermilcidia. He’d always been a good burrower, and it only took him a few seconds to reach the end of the tube. As soon as he was out, he called up to Sprocket to follow.

"I’m coming!" his friend answered.

Lenny waited. Suddenly, without warning, the whole cruiser shook, hard enough to knock him off his feet and onto the hard floor. The other three Rangers were already safely aboard, and they grasped at whatever was at hand to keep their footing.

"Bloody hell," muttered Janet. "There goes our ship."

_The core_. Lenny realised he was buzzing, buzzing as fast and hysterically as he’d ever buzzed before. "Ssssprocket!" he called into his radio. "Sprocket, did you get clear?"

There was no answer. There was, however, the sound of something sliding through the launch tube above. Lenny looked up, his antennae twitching furiously. He stepped back.

Sprocket’s limp form emerged from the tube, slamming down upon the floor. The thud made Lenny feel sick. There was a tense pause; all four Rangers waited. Lenny held his breath. But Sprocket didn’t get up. He made no move at all.

Lenny found himself rushing forward, pulling the other Ranger into his arms, cradling his head. He couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. His helmet was cracked—clearly the shockwave had hit him before he was completely through the tube. Lenny could see blood leaking from a nasty wound on his forehead. "Sprocket," he breathed, clutching him desperately.

* * *

The Dreadnought was still barrelling straight towards them, and Buzz was still hellbent on getting aboard, but that wasn’t what held Mira’s attention now. She and the rest of the team had just received news of Star Cruiser 36's destruction. Vok told them all about what Captain Astri had done—Mira felt her cheeks burn hot, knowing it was one of her own people—and then he told them what had happened to Corporal Frank Brooks. There was silence when the team heard. The first Ranger down. They all knew it would happen sooner or later, but Mira found herself gulping back tears now that it was a reality. She’d known Brooks—not well, he kept to himself mostly—but he’d been a good person. She wondered how his team was taking it.

"Did you get the rest of Team Turner aboard safely?" asked Buzz, once the hush was over.

"I think so." There was a pause as Vok checked. "Blaze, is everyone— What? Craters, what?!"

Buzz frowned. "What is it? What’s wrong?"

"I... I don’t know. Sprocket Crockett was caught in the explosion. I don’t know if he’s okay. Sorry, I have to go, Lightyear. I-I’ve got to check on him."

"Understood. Lightyear out."

Mira let out a deep sigh. Sprocket—another good Ranger. One of the nicest people she’d ever met. _Sweet Mother of Venus_ , she thought. _If anything happens to him, what will Rocket do?_

"We have to stop this," Buzz muttered. "We have to stop Zurg."

He was right, but she found herself wincing once again at the prospect of Buzz sneaking onto the Dreadnought and taking on the emperor all by himself. It meant too much to him—he’d be willing to go to any lengths to stop him. Just like Brooks had made the ultimate sacrifice to save his team. She wasn’t going to let that happen, not to Buzz. But even if she went with him like he’d planned, she knew she still couldn’t stop him if he was determined enough to risk his life in some stupid way. It hadn’t worked when he’d wanted to slingshot around that black hole and it wouldn’t work now. His stubbornness was more than a match for her own—the only person she knew who might give him a run for his money was her father, and even then Buzz might just win.

"Buzz," she said steadily, "we should go back."

"What?" He blinked.

"The fleet needs us back there. Nebula can’t do it all on his own! Look what’s happening already—Astri’s starting to take things into his own hands and at least one Ranger is dead. Things’ll fall apart without you to keep everyone together." She looked at him pleadingly. "Come on, Buzz, they look up to you. Everyone. The other Rangers, the alien captains—they’ll listen to you. Nebula is just Star Command to them, but you’re something more. You represent the whole Galactic Alliance, and everything that’s good. You have to lead them!"

"But Zurg—"

"I know." This was the part where she had to ignore everything her instincts were telling her and just do what felt right. She’d become better at controlling her impulsive side over the years, but now it was time to forget all that and embrace it. "I’ll handle him. Sorry, Buzz."

She was out of her seat before he could say a word, already bounding off the bridge. She heard him call after her, but she didn’t turn around. Not even wasting time on the doors, she ghosted right through and up into the shuttle. Her fingers found the controls in an instant and she seated herself, working the launch sequence as fast as she could, releasing the magna-locks before Buzz could override them from 42. He was going to be furious the next time she saw him, but she could worry about that later.

There was a mechanical whirr and something popped up into the seat beside her. "Mira, what are you _doing_?"

_Craters_. It was XR. He must’ve launched himself aboard through the travel duct next to his station. "XR, get out of here!" she snapped.

"Mira, stop!" His hands were reaching over the controls, trying to snatch her hands away from the launch button. "Have you gone space wacky?!"

"I have to do this XR!" She flung him out the way, slamming her fist on the button. The engines fired up and the shuttle was off, leaving 42 behind. Leaning back, she realised what she’d just done. XR was still aboard. She glared at him. "You should’ve stayed on the cruiser!"

He sniffed indignantly. "I was trying to stop you from doing something monumentally stupid, but I see I was too late for that!" Folding his arms, he looked around. "So what exactly _are_ you trying to accomplish? Besides getting us both killed, of course."

"Uh, y’know, same plan as Buzz... just, uh, without Buzz." She laughed nervously.

"Oh, great! Now I’m really feeling confident about your sanity."

She scowled. "Look, you’re not supposed to be here, okay? It was just going to be me! I was trying to keep you all safe!"

The robot looked like he was about to answer with some smart remark, then stopped himself and shrugged, realising the futility of it. "Well, now what?"

"We can’t go back, so I guess you’re coming with me."

"What? Onto the Dreadnought? Are you kidding?!"

"Hey, if you wanna stay here and get shot at by Zurg, go right ahead..."

He sighed and muttered something to himself about crazy Tangean princesses.

* * *

Commander Nebula held onto his console to steady himself as another blast rocked the Tigran ship. He stared despondently at the screen. Things weren’t going so well—the fleet he’d been trying to keep in order was falling apart, each faction either panicking or working to their own plan without consulting him. He didn’t mind the individual captains taking their own initiative in some things, but blast it, they couldn’t just do what Astri had done! He was used to working with a disciplined, obedient fighting force and the chaos he had to deal with now was grinding at his limited patience.

The ship shuddered again.

"What was that?" demanded Brizaran.

"It’s one of the smaller enemy vessels," reported Dellat. "They’ve... they’ve clamped onto the hull! They’re cutting a hole through the bottom of the ship!"

"Order our other ships to blast them off! I won’t have them clinging to our hide and getting their soldiers aboard!"

Nebula stood up straight. "Permission to lead an armed party down there to hold them off, General?" He may have been in charge of the fleet, but this was still her ship and he wouldn’t take any action without getting her approval first.

"Granted." She nodded curtly and turned to one of her crewmen. "Tell Third Prideswoman Gerellan to send a team to the section the enemy is cutting into. Commander Nebula will join her there."

Nebula saluted and left the bridge, marching briskly down the corridor. He knew he probably should’ve stayed at his station, but he wasn’t doing much good there and the tedium was getting to him. He was just itching for some action. He was a Space Ranger, for pete’s sake! He was supposed to be out fighting, protecting people, not standing around like a stinking diplomat trying to make everyone play along nicely!

When he reached the lower decks, he met up with a party of Tigran soldiers dressed in thick battle armour and sporting large plasma rifles. Slipping beside their leader—Third Prideswoman Gerellan, he assumed—he marched in time with them as they headed for the point of entry. "Hello, Commander." Gerellan nodded to him in greeting.

He nodded back.

They reached the section and Gerellan unsealed the doors. Immediately a green blast shot over her, singing the tufts of her ears. "Get down!" she ordered her team.

The ship had been breached. Nebula ducked out the way as another shot zapped past. Peering around the door, he saw squadrons of Hornets streaming through the hole they’d cut in the hull. He readied his laser and fired. The nearest Hornet exploded in a shower of sparks and shrapnel, clunking loudly as it hit the floor. The rest of the Hornets opened fire and Nebula pulled back around the corner.

A pair of Tigrans leaped forward and fired, balancing the heavy plasma rifles easily in their strong hands, as if they were merely toys. They took out three more Hornets before they were forced to jump back.

"How many do you think there are?" Gerellan asked.

"No telling," grunted Nebula. "But if I know Zurg, he’ll have packed a whole army into that ship."

"Think we can take them?"

Nebula grinned. "You bet."

Hornets had one advantage and one advantage only—Zurg could make an awful lot of them awfully quickly. But they weren’t very strong and they were even stupider than they were ugly. Zurg had other, tougher robots—Beetles, for example—but Hornets were the most easily mass-produced. They worked well keeping civilians in line, but Nebula knew that even their strength in numbers was little match against trained, intelligent opponents like his Rangers, or these Tigrans. It was like he always said—no mindless machine could replace an organic, and adding another hundred machines wasn’t going to change that. Of course, not all machines were mindless, he thought—something he wouldn’t have even considered a few years ago—but these Hornets certainly were.

Together he and Gerellan jumped into the doorway, blasted a few more Hornets, and somersaulted away as enemy fire rained down on them. Somersaulting was considerably harder and more painful than he remembered it being, Nebula noted as he picked himself up, but it _had_ been some twenty years since he last remembered doing it.

"Keep them back!" Gerellan shouted. "Don’t let them pass through this door!"

The sound of heavy metallic footsteps filled Nebula’s ears as waves of Hornets marched through the corridor. He peaked around the corner. They were heading for the doors, arms held up, ready to fire. They were going to try their best to get past the armed party, and they certainly had the numbers for it. Nebula wondered just how many Hornets had been crammed into the ship that was now latched onto them.

"We’ll hold ‘em off," he assured Gerellan. "There’s no way they’re not getting through." He hoped he was right. Either way, this beat the heck out of sitting behind a desk signing vacation forms and requisition orders.

* * *

_Incoming message. Incoming message. Incoming message._

Mira ignored the alert on her screen. She knew it was just Buzz trying to hail her, and she certainly wasn’t about to answer. Beside her, XR was fidgeting nervously.

"You know, we really ought to turn around," he muttered. "We can go back to 42, explain to Buzz it was just a misunderstanding..."

"No." Her voice was firm. "Sorry, XR, I didn’t want you getting caught up in this, but we have to stop Zurg!"

He rolled his eyes. "Now _you’re_ starting to sound like Buzz. Why couldn’t you have left it to him?"

"I’m _not_ letting any of my team get hurt," she insisted.

The Dreadnought was looming in front of them now, the distance closing fast as the two ships approached each other at full speed. Somewhere behind them, 42 was following. Mira wished Buzz had taken her advice and gone back to the rest of the fleet.

"Uh, Mira..."

"Uh-oh." Mira grimaced as the Dreadnought’s cannons swivelled in their direction. That was some serious weaponry—proton beams, plasma missiles, you name it and Zurg had it. In extra large size too. "Hold tight, XR!"

She pulled the ship up abruptly as a wave of red pulses filled the expanse, surging straight for them. They dodged just in time and the pulses harmlessly dissipated in the vacuum of space. Her heart dropped when a plasma missile rocketed towards them next. Her hands jerked the controls in all directions, but everywhere they moved the missile followed.

"Okay, this is not good, this is not good at all!" Biting her tongue, she zigzagged the shuttle in an attempt to shake it off. No success. Once a plasma missile locked on, it would follow its target to the ends of the universe—or until its power cell ran out, anyway.

XR waved his arms up and down. "Abandon ship, Mira! We have to abandon ship!"

"No! I’m not giving up!"

Suddenly the blip on her screen disappeared. The missile was gone. Swinging the shuttle around to see what had happened, she heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. Gasses were swirling around 42 as it emerged from the fading explosion left by the missile it had just shot down. "Thanks Buzz."

With renewed confidence, she set a course for the Dreadnought again. The massive ship was rapidly reaching the edge of Zurg’s fleet, and soon it would be ready to engage the Galactic Alliance. Mira cringed at the thought. She had to stop Zurg before that happened. Before any more lives were lost.

* * *

"Plucky." Zurg eyed the tiny shuttle buzzing around in front of them like a Jo-Adian fruit fly. "I wonder what they’re planning." He’d ordered the ship shot down immediately and was less than thrilled that his useless minions had yet to accomplish this, but he couldn’t help being curious. Was Lightyear aboard the shuttle? Surely he wouldn’t send his rookies out on such a dangerous mission, whatever the mission was?

But the piloting didn’t match Lightyear’s usual flair. He knew Buzz’s style well after so many years, and somehow he was sure Buzz was still aboard 42. Not that it really mattered in the grand scheme of things—he was going to destroy both ships anyway—but he would like to know what they were up to first. Curiosity had always been a weakness he indulged in.

His fingers tapped methodically on the armrest of his throne. If it wasn’t Buzz on the shuttle then it had to be... _Ah, yes. Of course._ The Tangean princess. Mira Nova was going to try to ghost aboard. _How clever_.

He enjoyed his dealings with the princess Ranger. She was good at her job, and smart too—but not nearly as good or as smart as she _thought_ she was. Unlike Buzz, it was always so easy to keep one step ahead of Nova. The headstrong rookie was easy to predict, whatever the Tangeans said about mental superiority, and he’d lured her into his traps more than once. He could outsmart her every time. Well, almost every time. He still wondered sometimes why she’d stepped out of that reactor during her power ghosting kick, when he’d been so _sure_ she would give in to her cravings. It defied his understanding. She could have had all the power she’d ever wanted (not that it would work, of course, because she’d be dead thanks to his ingenious evil plan, but that wasn’t the point), and instead she’d given it up. Just given it up. For what? He shook his head. She was such a fool.

But this situation was different. He knew he could outsmart her this time. She thought if she let 42 take out all opposition while she got close enough to the Dreadnought to ghost through, she’d be okay. Well, tough.

"Grubs," he ordered, "Launch three more plasma missiles. Two at 42 and one at the shuttle."

His supply of missiles was limited, but he decided a little extravagance would be worth it. This was Team Lightyear, after all. 42 would be okay—they could probably handle those two missiles in their sleep. But they couldn’t handle all three at once. He imagined the look on Buzz’s face when the shuttle went up in flames. Could the man watch his own rookies die and still have the stomach to keep fighting?

* * *

The only thing Nebula could hear above the laser blasts was the sound of his own raspy breathing and the pounding of his heart. He dove to the floor to avoid another round of Hornet fire, raising his arm as he lay on his stomach and blasted the robot to kingdom come. Two more Hornets were right behind it, marching through the open doors. Gerellan got one, but the other shot one of the Tigrans in the shoulder before it too burst open from a blast to the chest.

The wounded Tigran screeched in pain, reminding Nebula of a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She dropped her rifle and clutched at her shoulder, still moaning. One of the other soldiers pushed her aside and took her place.

They were on the front line, holding the Hornets back as they tried to breach the rest of the ship. The floor was littered with smoldering Hornet parts and blackened bulkheads, but more Hornets continued to pour in. For every one they shot down, two more seemed to spring up from nowhere. Nebula was beginning to rethink his assessment of them—numbers could be a formidable advantage, even when you were as dumb as a brick.

He rolled over and onto his feet, taking up a position beside Gerellan. Despite not being as battle-hardened as her general, she was putting up a good fight against the Hornets. Nebula couldn’t fault her determination. Round after round of plasma fire issued from her rifle, sending Hornet guts flying everywhere in a spray of sparks. She didn’t even seem to notice the recoil of the gun, though Nebula was sure her arms must have been aching from it by now.

"They just keep coming," she growled as a new wave of Hornets emerged. "Is this ever going to end?"

Before Nebula could answer, one of the Hornets shoved forward, avoiding the barrage of fire from the Tigrans, and knocked the gun from Gerellan’s hand. She hissed and tried to grab the rifle from the floor but the robot kicked her back, its hand transforming into a gun.

"Look out!" Nebula shouted.

Gerellan ducked from the blast and charged forward, knocking the Hornet to the ground. Still hissing and spitting, she wrestled with it on the floor, her face set in a grim expression of pain as she tried to push the gun arm away from her. She gripped it so tightly the metal dented beneath her fingers, and inch by inch she twisted it back towards the Hornet’s own head. Then she pressed the trigger mechanism on the arm and it fired. Nebula saw her blink as the head exploded in her face, but she was on her feet in a second, wiping the soot from her eyes and picking up her plasma rifle.

The corridor was now crawling with fresh Hornets, and Nebula had his own hands full as three suddenly surrounded him. He jumped aside, evading their shots and kicking one down with his good leg. Then he raised the pegleg and fired at the fallen Hornet, blowing a hole straight through its chest. He was on to the next one in a flash, blasting it with his wrist ray. Before he could turn around, the third grabbed his wrists and pulled him into its arms. He tried to wriggle free, but the metal fingers gripped him like a vice. It began to squeeze, clearly intending to crush him in a deadly hug.

Nebula grunted and gasped, desperately struggling against the robot’s grip. "Little help over here!" he called.

Leaping forward, Gerellan raised her rifle, seemed to realise Nebula was too close to the Hornet for her to get off a clean shot, and without missing a beat swung the rifle like a club instead. It smashed against the triangular yellow head, severing it in one quick swipe. Wires sparked uselessly where the head had been, and the Hornet released its hold on Nebula, dropping like a stone.

He heaved a sigh of relief and rubbed his wrists, but he only had a moment’s respite. More Hornets were still crawling up from the ship below, like angry ants storming out an anthill.

Suddenly Brizaran’s voice came through over the comm. "Helmets up, everyone, and magnetise your boots!"

Nebula and the Tigrans hurried to comply, trying to hold off the Hornets at the same time, and a moment later the commander understood why the general had given the order.

The ship shook and a ball of fire roared up through the hole the Hornets had cut in the floor, incinerating those who were still coming through. Shrapnel flew through as well, and suddenly Nebula felt all the air being sucked out the corridor. Brizaran had finally destroyed the Hornet carrier, and now the hole led into the vacuum of space.

Some of the Hornets were already being sucked out, but the rest magnetised themselves to the floor. Their numbers were greatly diminished, however, and could no longer be replenished. Nebula smiled. Now the tide was going to turn.

* * *

She remembered the chase on the outer rim, when they’d somehow made it out of the asteroid field alive. She’d done that, all on her own. She could do this.

Mira watched the blinking light following them on her screen. Zurg had launched three plasma missiles. _Three_ plasma missiles. Two had locked onto 42, and one onto her shuttle. 42 was spiralling away, trying to evade the missiles and get a decent lock on them. They couldn’t help her now.

She gritted her teeth and swerved as the missile began to gain on them. It was an old tactic—even animals used it to outrun faster predators. In a straight line, the missile could easily catch up to the shuttle. But if they kept zigzagging, the delay in the automatic guidance system as it constantly corrected its course bought them a little time. Unfortunately, unlike the predators that chased those animals, the missile wasn’t going to get tired and give up.

And Zurg was still blasting at them with the Dreadnought’s cannons.

She tried to remember her training in concentration, desperately hoping she could avoid all the many shots that were being fired at them. Her brow was sweating and she kept having to remind herself to breathe.

_I can do this. I can do this_.

The Dreadnought wasn’t far now. If she could just get a little closer...

_BANG. CRACK. SHATTER._

Suddenly everything was out of control and all her concentration was gone. The ship was spinning about wildly and jostling the two Rangers up and down. Mira could see an orange glow out the corner of her eye. One of Zurg’s shots had connected—the shuttle was on fire! A particularly loud alarm caught her attention and she checked the screen.

_Hull breach imminent. Abandon ship. Abandon ship._

They were losing structural integrity. Mira gulped. Any second now the whole ship was going to fly apart. And if that didn’t finish them off, they had about forty seconds before the plasma missile struck them.

"We have to get outta here!" XR was already heading for the emergency hatch.

Mira pounded her fist on the hatch release controls, but nothing happened. "Aw, come on!" It still wouldn’t open.

"Just ghost us out!" said XR.

Mira looked around her, at the cracking interior of the cockpit, at the flames overtaking the hull, at the screens warning her of the hull breach and the incoming missile. Then she looked out at the Dreadnought. So close...

She couldn’t fail. Not now.

"XR, we don’t stand a chance out there. Zurg’ll shoot us down in an instant." She was surprised by how calm she sounded now that she’d made her decision.

"Well we don’t stand a chance in here either, so it’s no contest to me!"

"This may be our only opportunity to strike a crippling blow against Zurg."

"Are you crazy?! Are you still thinking about that when we’re about to _die_?"

She sat back down in her seat, adjusting their course as best she could, which wasn’t easy with the engine on fire. _Seven seconds to impact._

"What are you doing?!"

"The missile’s not going to stop. Neither are we."

The purple hull of the Dreadnought filled the screen as they rushed closer. Behind them, the missile was right on their tail.

_Impact in three..._

"Mira—"

_Two..._

"Sorry, XR." She wrapped her arms around the robot.

_One_.


	26. Chapter 25

Zurg had about two seconds to contemplate how wrong he’d been about Ranger Nova as he watched the trajectory of the shuttle. He thought he’d known exactly how she would react. He hadn’t expected this.

And then chaos had taken over. He was shaken half out his throne as the impact of the shuttle buffeted the ship, and his knees hit painfully into the footrest. Beneath him, Grubs were crying out in terror and scurrying about frantically.

As he groped the side of his throne and tried to pull himself back up, a new thought occurred to him.

"The plasma mis—"

_Boom._ He was thrown forward again, this time losing his grip on the armrests. His claws scratched futilely against the metal, sparking as they left deep gouges. He couldn’t hang on. His fingers slipped and he found himself falling, plummeting straight towards the hard floor of the bridge. In a moment of clarity amidst his panic, he slammed his fist against the Z on his chest and his rocket boots fired up. He slowed his descent and swooped up just before he collided with the ground, hovering in mid-air to assess the situation.

The lights were flickering and the Grubs were screaming to each other now, and even the Brain Pods seemed to be in a state of confusion and terror. All the screens were either flashing in alarm, displaying static, or dead. Worst of all, however, Zurg could see a trail of debris emanating outwards from somewhere on the side of the ship. It was fortunate the shuttle hadn’t crashed any closer to the bridge, or the force of the plasma warhead might’ve killed them all.

_Ingenious, Ranger Nova_. He wrinkled his face in disgust. _Tricking the missile into hitting my own ship_. He hoped Lightyear was proud of his rookie—after all, it was the sort of thing the pride of Star Command himself would’ve done.

At least Zurg had the satisfaction of knowing Mira Nova was now quite dead.

"Grubs!" he called, letting his voice echo throughout the high-ceilinged bridge. A few stopped to look at him, but most were still running around in a frenzied state. Zurg tried again. "GRUBS!"

This time they all came to a halt, and the Brain Pods started paying attention too. Many of the Grubs were still shaking, but Zurg was pleased to note their fear was now directed towards him and not at the events that had just transpired.

"Damage assessment," he ordered. "I want the ship under control as quickly as possible! Find out which essential systems have been affected and repair them at once—everything else can wait!"

Filled with a sense of purpose and anxious not to displease their emperor, the Grubs forgot their panic and immediately set to work. Zurg watched, a little apprehensive as he saw the difficultly they were having even getting the computers to respond. He had a feeling the missile had hit quite a few vital systems.

_Curse you, Mira Nova!_ He clenched his clawed fingers together.

* * *

There wasn’t anything to say. They didn’t need to—they’d both seen it, and words wouldn’t be sufficient anyway. So they just stared, trying to take it in. Buzz realised he was holding his breath, and let it all out in a long gasp that was somehow too loud amidst the silence.

He and Booster had just finished off the second plasma missile when it happened. They were about to rush to Mira and XR’s aid—Buzz was all ready to yell, "Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!"—when the shuttle had slammed into the Dreadnought’s hull. A moment later the plasma missile followed, and there was a massive explosion, ripping a gaping hole through the ship.

Buzz scanned the area around the Dreadnought frantically, but he knew the two Rangers hadn’t bailed. He would’ve seen them.

Mira and XR were dead. Because of Zurg.

It was his own fault too—he should’ve realised Mira would try something like this. She’d been planning it since Jo-Ad. He should’ve stopped her somehow. She... she had no right to throw her life away like that! He banged his fist on the helm.

"Buzz..." It was Booster’s soft voice.

"I know, I know." Buzz tried to calm himself. A wave of feelings were surging through him, bringing back memories of an exploding moon, Warp’s voice, helplessness as he realised he couldn’t get his partner out in time, all that agony of grief and despair... Not again. Why was it happening again? He pulled himself together. "We can... we can grieve later. We have to keep our heads in the game." There was still a whole Alliance out there for them to protect.

He breathed deeply and checked his readouts. The star cruisers were gaining ground—there seemed to be a hesitance to the enemy ships now. _They aren’t sure what’s happened to Zurg_ , Buzz realised. _They’re afraid he might’ve been killed in that blast._ He wished they were right, but he knew that was too much to hope for. Zurg would survive—he always did. And he wouldn’t let his minions rest until they’d repaired the damage to his ship.

But Star Command had an honest-to-cosmos advantage now, and Buzz was going to milk it for all it was worth. He leaned into his microphone. "Lightyear to all ships, I want you to work together and concentrate your attacks on driving the enemy back. Repeat, drive them back while they’re confused. Give it everything you’ve got, people, we may not have another chance like this."

He wasn’t going to let Mira’s sacrifice be in vain.

* * *

"Any luck restoring communications?" Zurg demanded. He swept back and forth across the bridge, inspecting each Grub’s work. His fingers twitched impatiently, forming fists. Star Command was on the offensive—he could see his fleet being pushed back, ship by ship. They needed his guidance!

The Grubs shook their heads miserably. "Still working on it, Your Evilness."

"Work faster!" He directed a hot glare at them, then moved on. "What about power to the engines?"

A cluster of Brain Pods glanced up at him. "We’ve set Grubs to work repairing the main power conduits," one of the Pods answered. "It’ll be awhile before any significant progress is made, however..."

_Mother of pearl, why do I surround myself with such incompetence?_ Zurg sighed. "You’ll find I’m not a very patient man, my dear Pod. Hurry it up, or I’ll throw you out the ship as cannon fodder for the Space Rangers!"

That ought to put the fear of evil into them. He continued walking. His bridge was in shambles; most of the computers were still offline, and the lights occasionally went out without warning. A few bits of rubble lay strewn across the floor. The damage could’ve been worse, of course, but Zurg didn’t let that thought console him. Why hadn’t he anticipated this move of Nova’s? Maybe he was losing his edge after all.

"I have forward sensors online!" called one of the Grubs eagerly.

Oh, marvellous. Communications, propulsion, and weapons were offline, but _goody_ , they had sensors! Zurg rolled his eyes and marched over. He frowned when he saw the readings.

"What?! This says we’re down another fours ships!"

The Grub swallowed and nodded. "Star Command’s forces have been very aggressive... 42 alone has already disabled three ships in the past five minutes."

Zurg closed his eyes and took a deep breath. So, Buzz wasn’t slumped against his chair in a depressed funk because of Nova’s death. Instead, he was using his anger to fuel his resolve—how annoyingly Lightyearish.

"What are we going to do?" the little Grub asked, blinking up at him.

Zurg wanted to sock it in the jaw. Couldn’t the blasted thing see he didn’t _know_? "We’ll... we’ll repair the Dreadnought and then show Star Command what happens when they mess with the Evil Emperor Zurg." No, that didn’t sound convincing, even to him.

If only his minions weren’t all so _useless_. He had all these ships, and yet his fleet was nothing without him to direct them! He spun around. "I want all your efforts focused on restoring communications!" he barked. Surely they could accomplish _that_ at least.

He looked out the window at the blazes of light and the wheeling, dancing ships. His own vessels continued to pull back, suddenly frightened and directionless in their attacks. Star Command and the other Galactic Alliance ships were working in unity to drive them back, with a ferocity and relentlessness the Rangers usually lacked. There was a brilliant flare against the black backdrop of space as another war cruiser exploded.

Zurg hardened his hands into fists. _I haven’t lost yet._

* * *

This was even easier than mowing down Grounders. The enemy fleet had suddenly become a disorganised mess—none of them knew what to do, flying about willy-nilly as they made half-hearted attacks. Easy pickings for people like him. Captain Astri smirked.

His plan had worked beautifully. The bomb had gone off, the war cruisers had been destroyed, and most of the Space Rangers had even managed to get away, which he supposed was an added bonus. Now he was practically in charge of the whole non-Star Command fleet. Commander Nebula seemed to have disappeared—something about fending off enemy boarders—and Astri had easily stepped up to take his place. Not officially, of course, but he was the natural candidate, wasn’t he? He’d had the most success of any of them. The Phlegmians certainly couldn’t be trusted with the job. So now he was giving out orders, organising the other ships into something resembling an efficient fighting force, and watching in glee as the enemy was driven back.

Buzz Lightyear was leading the assault, but he didn’t seem to care that Astri was coordinating the other ships now. Probably hadn’t even noticed—the man’s only thought appeared to be disabling as many of Zurg’s vessels as possible. He was relentless, lunging and tearing at every enemy ship in sight like a rabid tree-wolf. However, even after everything that had happened, the Ranger still seemed determined to avoid destroying his opponents whenever possible, choosing to take out their primary systems and leave them motionless instead. Astri thought he lacked a certain stomach for battle he would’ve expected from Star Command’s greatest Ranger, but he couldn’t argue with his results.

Zurg’s fleet was edging further and further back. They were even abandoning the Dreadnought, slipping behind it cautiously and trying to escape the Galactic Alliance’s pursuit. It wasn’t quite a surrender, not yet, but unless Zurg pulled some miracle out of his sleeve, his ships would soon be retreating back to Planet Z. They were scared. Astri could sense it. The Dreadnought had a gaping hole in it, communications were down, and there was no telling if Zurg was even still alive after the blast that had rocked his ship. Without him, his lackeys were nothing.

_I’m going to enjoy this victory_. He wondered if he’d be made a lord upon his return to Tangea. It still stung him that he hadn’t been elevated after his successful quelling of the Grounder trouble those ten years before. King Nova didn’t hand out honours as easily as some of his predecessors, a fact that did little to gain him popularity amongst his inner circle. A strange king, Nova, with an even stranger daughter. Astri thought about the princess. Lightyear had announced her death after the shuttle crashed into the Dreadnought, asking for a moment of silence in memory of her. She was Nova’s only heir; he wondered who would succeed the old king now. He certainly wasn’t sorry to see the princess go. He’d feared for Tangea’s future with her as ruler.

His eyes glanced over the holodisplay, picking out two fighters heading straight for them. Suicide mission apparently, though he suspected those two ships were unmanned, so suicide wasn’t really the word. They were approaching at top speed, poised to strike at the belly of the ship, where they would do the most damage. Astri nodded to his crew. "I want those two ships eliminated. _Now_."

They rushed to obey. In moments, the two fighters were blasted out of the sky and the frigate moved on to the next target. The enemy ships were almost fleeing now, scurrying away like frightened animals. Victory wasn’t far off. The front line star cruisers were breaking through and ready to set upon the Dreadnought. Astri urged his crew on, not wanting to miss out on that fight. The Dreadnought was making no attempt to ward off the cruisers—its weapons must be down. _Oh, this_ is _going to be fun._

Like everyone else, Astri couldn’t wait to get a piece of Zurg. Surely assisting in the destruction of the Dreadnought was worth a knighthood at least? He ignored the other ships around them, zooming in towards the enormous purple vessel and smiling to himself as he pictured his future.

* * *

Everything had gone dark. He’d shut his eyes, waiting to meet his fate, wondering what it would feel like. And now he was surprised to open them again to light. Not a glowing white light all around him as he’d imagined, or anything remotely like that. Just a dim red lighting that didn’t illuminate much.

_If this is the afterlife, I want my money back._

He picked himself up off the floor—how had he gotten there?—and looked around, trying to remember what had happened. They should be dead, he knew that much.

They. They... Who else had been with him?

_Mira!_ He remembered her arms around him as they were about to smash into the side of the Dreadnought. He remembered clutching her tighter than he’d ever held anything in his life, desperately hoping he would wake up and find it had all been a glitch in his dreaming circuits. And then the blackness had come over him as he closed his eyes.

"Mira," he whispered, trying to see in the weak lighting. There was a soft groan from somewhere nearby.

Boosting the brightness of his optics so they became flashlights, he scanned the area around him. Rubble was strewn everywhere—twisted metal, snapped cables, and shards of glass. A lot of it looked half-melted. He supposed it had been caused by the impact of the shuttle, but none of the wreckage looked familiar. It was all purple and black, not the good old Star Command white and green. What were they doing here anyway? They should’ve been in what remained of the shuttle’s cockpit.

"Mira?" XR repeated. A glance to the left located her. She was stretched across the floor, lying on her face, her arms thrown out limply in front of her. He was at her side at once, gently rolling her onto her back and patting her face. "Mira, wake up."

She didn’t respond, but he was relieved to note she was still breathing. There were a few cuts across her face, but she didn’t appear to have been hurt too badly. Just unconscious. He tried again, shaking a little harder.

"Ohhh," she moaned. Her eyes blinked open, looking bleary and bloodshot.

"I’m here," whispered XR. "Are you okay?"

"Ugh." She tried to get up but fell back down. "What happened?"

XR shrugged. "You tell me. Last thing I remember, we were about to die in a fiery explosion."

Rubbing her head, Mira surveyed their surroundings. "I think... I think we’re on the Dreadnought."

"Oh, great." He should’ve known. "That still doesn’t explain why we’re not dead."

"I—" She coughed, pulling herself up onto unsteady feet. "I ghosted us out the moment the shuttle crashed. Took us down through as many decks as I could before I blacked out."

So she hadn’t been hugging him as one final expression of her deep, eternal love for him before they both met a tragic end. Well, the fact that they hadn’t met a tragic end was a more than acceptable consolation, he supposed. "Okay, so we’re on Zurg’s ship and we’re alive. Do you have a plan?"

Mira shook her head. "Uh, didn’t really have a chance to think any further than this, sorry."

"Go with the original plan then? Find Zurg and somehow singlehandedly bring him in without being shot to pieces by his dozens of armed Hornets?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Oh well, we’ve already cheated death once today. Might as well go for seconds."

They left the shattered corridor and slowly made their way through a maze of dim halls, neither of them quite sure where they were going. XR consulted the blueprints of the ship that he’d pilfered when he’d accessed the Dreadnought’s computer while they were rescuing Buzz from Zurg’s weird museum charade a year or two before, but since they didn’t know where they’d ended up in the first place, the blueprints were of little help as a map.

Mira was still stumbling as she walked, pausing every few minutes to regain her breath. XR wondered how much strength the ghosting had sapped from her. She tried to smile whenever he looked at her in concern, but her steps frequently faltered and once he had to catch her to stop her from falling face-first into the floor. "I just tripped," she insisted, but from then on he made her lean on his dome as she walked.

They made steady progress in spite of this, following one of the halls until finally they came to a pair of elevator doors. Half the power seemed to be out, but Mira pressed the button anyway and they waited. Nothing happened. When they realised at last that the elevator wasn’t going to arrive, they reluctantly moved on. "There must be a staircase around here somewhere," Mira muttered.

XR wondered if she would even be able to get up the steps if they found one.

One small mercy was the lack of Grubs or Hornets. The halls seemed deserted, probably because they were deep in the bowels of the ship. They were able to move uncontested through the corridors, and XR almost forgot where they were. Not completely, though—he kept a small red laser pistol ready in one hand, just in case.

"Look!" Mira pointed to ladder leading through an opening in the ceiling. "A service tunnel!"

"Can you manage it?"

She glared at him. "XR, how many times have I climbed up and down 42's entry ladder?"

"Yeah, but..."

"I’ll be fine." She let go of him to prove her point and grabbed one of the rungs, pulling herself up. Realising there was no point in arguing, XR followed.

They emerged on the next deck, which had the same red emergency lighting as the one they’d just come from and was just as empty. The corridor branched off in two directions, and XR moved from one to the other. "Which way?"

She pointed to the one on the left. "I dunno, that one."

They trudged on, letting the corridor lead them down a long, winding path until they came to another set of doors. Shrugging, Mira opened them and marched through—only to stop dead when them entered a hall guarded by a pair of Hornets. The robots’ triangular heads swivelled to face them, and their hands were already transforming into guns.

"Get down!" Mira leaped aside and so did XR, and green blasts surged past where they’d been standing, slamming into the doors. Raising her arm, Mira took out one Hornet, and XR shot a hole through the other with his pistol.

Mira rose, blowing the smoke from her wrist, and looked around. There were several doors on either side of the hall. "Must be something in here that they thought was worth guarding."

"I’m pretty sure they were standing outside that room over there." XR gestured to a pair of doors with the barrel of his gun. "Wanna look inside?"

"Why not?" She seemed invigorated by the brief fight, though XR wondered how long the adrenaline rush would last. What she really needed was a good rest. "Come on, let’s check it out."

He followed her to the doors, and they took up positions on either side.

"On three," she nodded to him. "One... two... three!"

They burst through, scanning the room for Hornets. XR held up the pistol, but it was clear there was no need to use it. The only occupant of the room was a huddled shape on a bunk in the corner.

Mira leaned forward. "Hello?" she whispered kindly.

At first the form remained still, then it moved suddenly and sat up. The room was dark, but XR thought the silhouette looked familiar.

"Mira? Mira Nova, child? Is that you?"

He definitely knew that voice. So did Mira, and her eyes widened in shock.

"Madam President?"

* * *

The remaining Hornets were still coming in thick and fast through the corridor, but Nebula and the Tigrans were finally making a dent in their numbers now that fresh troops were no longer being sent in. Several of the Tigrans had been injured, and Nebula himself had suffered a few near misses, but he remained confident. The scales were slowly tipping in their favour.

"Look out!" Gerellan’s shout made him duck, and he watched her claw off the head of an attacking Hornet with her bare hands. _Some fighters, these Tigrans._ He would have to see about getting some of them into the Space Ranger Corps when all this was over.

"Uh-oh." His eyes fixed on a pair of Hornets carrying something large that was ominously flashing. "Gerellan, over there!"

"I see it," she said. "Bomb?"

He nodded. "Or I’m a Raenok’s mother."

"What do we do?"

"Cover me. I’ll deal with this!" He jumped into the corridor, rolling under enemy fire. It was risky, but he had a plan. By now a forcefield had sealed the hull breach where the Hornets had cut through, but if he could just force the Hornets close enough to the hole and turn off the field, all their problems would get sucked away...

* * *

Of all the things XR had expected to see, the deceased president of the Galactic Alliance wasn’t one of them. He lowered the laser pistol, staring at her. She’d moved into the light of his optics, and there was no mistaking her—she looked weary, more frightened and battered than he’d ever seen her, but it was definitely the same woman.

She seemed just as surprised to see them, but there was genuine warmth in her voice when she spoke. "Mira, XR—I never thought I’d lay eyes on any of you Rangers again. How did you get here? What’s happened?"

"It’s... it’s uh, kind of a long story, Madam President." The shock hadn’t left Mira’s face. "But... look, um, d-didn’t you, um, y’know... die?"

"Die?"

"As in power down, kick the bucket, buy the moozle farm," XR put in helpfully.

She frowned. "Is that what you think happened to me?" Her shoulders sagged. "I should’ve known he’d spread some story like that. So that’s why none of you ever came to rescue me."

Mira nodded. "We thought you’d been assassinated. If we’d known you were here..."

"Whoa, hold on a second here." XR held up his hands and circled around the room. "So, all this time we thought you were dead, you were actually here in Zurg’s clutches, right? Then what exactly happened at the Senate? What was the bomb for?"

"Cover," surmised Mira. "So we wouldn’t go looking for her."

"So it was Zurg who planted it?"

"Must have been." Mira glanced at the president. "He kidnapped you?"

She nodded. "It was Warp Darkmatter—somehow he slipped through all our security. I don’t understand it. He burst into my office, shot me with some kind of neural neutraliser, and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a cell on Planet Z. Never did find out how Zurg pulled that one off."

"I’m sure there’s some fascinating answer to that little puzzle, but it’s kinda academic now," said XR.

"Right." Mira stood up straight. "Madam President, we’re going to get you out of here. But first we have to stop Zurg."

The president’s eyes narrowed. "What’s he doing now? Tell me he hasn’t gotten to Capital Planet, child!"

"Not yet. But our fleet might not be able to hold him off—we have to stop him ourselves, from within his own ship."

She nodded. "Then let’s do it."

"Glad we’re all on the same suicidal page here," sighed XR.

They helped the president off her bunk. Her steps were shaky, and up close XR could see how thin she looked. The room smelled of rotting food, and he could see mouldy trays lying everywhere, so it wasn’t that Zurg had neglected to feed her—apparently she’d simply chosen not to eat. He also noticed a few bruises on her face. They’d have to take care of her properly once they’d dealt with Zurg, he decided. She was the president, so she’d get the very best medical treatment when she returned to Capital Planet. He wondered how Vice President Taln would feel about having to give her her job back. The robot didn’t really care—he was just glad she was still alive. Maybe things could finally go back to normal now.

The room suddenly rattled, knocking trays everywhere and nearly unbalancing the three of them. The lights flickered, going out for several seconds, and coming back even dimmer than before.

"Looks like the Dreadnought’s under fire from our people," said Mira.

"Good," the president stated firmly.

"Not so good if it’s blown sky-high while we’re still aboard," replied XR.

"XR’s right, we have to hurry." Mira helped the president along, and they left the room, shuffling down the corridor as quickly as they could.

XR kept glancing around nervously, hoping they wouldn’t run into any more Hornets. "What are we gonna do with the president?" he whispered to Mira.

"You’re going to take me with you," the woman insisted, overhearing him. "If you’re stopping Zurg, I want in on it."

"Madam President," Mira protested, "I really don’t think you’re—"

"What? Strong enough? Child, do you have any idea what I’ve been through since I was captured? I’m coming with you and that’s that."

Mira shrugged and XR shrugged back. There was no arguing with the galactic president. XR hadn’t even been able to convince _Mira_ to take it easy. He just hoped they all had the energy and ability to pull this off—they weren’t arresting a jaywalker here, they were trying to take down the Evil Emperor Zurg himself, aboard his own ship! And they didn’t even have Buzz with them!

* * *

Half the fleet had converged upon the Dreadnought. The rest were dealing with the remaining enemy ships, few of which were putting up any real resistance. They seemed to realise it was a lost cause. Buzz had ordered the Alliance ships not to destroy them unless necessary—there was no point in killing Zurg’s frightened minions without good reason. They probably didn’t want to be there anymore than the Galactic Alliance wanted them there.

Buzz was pleased to note that Zurg didn’t seem to have weapons online yet. In fact, it looked like he was losing systems faster than they were being repaired. The massive Dreadnought was getting mercilessly pounded by the fleet, new holes constantly being blasted through its hull. He wished communications were working. He would’ve loved to hail Zurg, just to hear the despair in his enemy’s voice. Buzz didn’t believe in gloating—that was strictly Zurg’s department—but after everything the emperor had done, especially after what had happened to Mira and XR, he felt he’d earned it.

The cost of victory would be high—even one Ranger down was a higher price than Buzz wanted to pay, and he could still barely grasp the loss of his own two rookies—but at least now he felt assured there would _be_ a victory. And a final one at that. Zurg wasn’t getting away this time.

Most of the ships surrounding the Dreadnought were star cruisers, but even the Tangeans were getting in on the action. Buzz thought of Captain Astri, and his eyes narrowed in contempt. He’d have a few things to say to the man when it was all over—he blamed Corporal Brooks’ death squarely on him. He wondered how the other three members of Team Turner were taking it, and if young Sprocket Crockett was okay. He’d have to check in with Team Vok later.

Shifting the controls, he sent the cruiser swooping beneath the Dreadnought, and Booster battered the underbelly with 42's laser cannons. Purple shrapnel came away in great chunks as the hull was torn open by the blasts. Surely even Zurg realised he was beaten—but Buzz knew the emperor wouldn’t surrender easily, not until he’d exhausted every last alternative. It was one of the few things they held in common.

"Buzz," Booster’s voice startled him. The Jo-Adian had barely said a word since they left Star Command that morning. "I’m getting some strange readings..."

Buzz glanced over his shoulder at the rookie. "What kind of readings?"

"It’s like... well, like the energy signatures of a bunch of ships about the drop out of hyperdrive."

"That’s impossible. Everyone’s here."

Booster shrugged. "I know, but... oh well, I guess we’re about to find out—here they come!"

Turning to the viewport, Buzz raised an eyebrow as an empty stretch of space near the raging battle lit up with flashes of white light. A whole wave of ships emerged above the two fleets, and more continued to pour in. The most astonishing thing was their identity, or rather identities—it wasn’t a single, uniform armada. There were cargo ships, transports, fighters, shuttles, battle cruisers, passenger liners—everything. And they didn’t belong to a single race either. He saw ships of Delrubian, Raenok, Shragarakian, Sperlingian origin, as well as many more he couldn’t identify. And yet it was _impossible_ —most of those races had already sent as many ships as they could spare to join Star Command’s fleet. Where in the galaxy had these vessels come from? And why were they all outfitted with such formidable weaponry—was that a plasma cannon on that Phlegmian shuttle? Buzz gaped. It defied all understanding.

But here they were—and for them to have crossed into Capital Planet’s system without setting off any border alarms, they would have to have the proper codes. Had there been a final effort by the member worlds to round up any remaining ships they could find and send them to join the fight?

"Buzz Lightyear to unknown fleet," he hailed them. "Please state your identity and intent. Are you here to provide backup?"

He waited. At first there was no reply, then he saw a text response come through. " _Affirmative,"_ was all it said.

* * *

Zurg looked at the newly-arrived fleet and checked the chronometer on one of the few working computer screens.

"Right on time."


	27. Chapter 26

He’d nearly laughed out loud when he saw the mess Zurg’s fleet was in. Chaos abounded amongst the smaller ships, and the Dreadnought itself was being blasted to bits by the Space Rangers. If Brain Pod 17 hadn’t been leaning over his shoulder, remote in hand, he would’ve cackled his head off. So, this was how the mighty Evil Emperor Zurg fared without his help? And he called himself a conqueror. He was weak—always had been.

The prisoner glanced around the bridge. Warp Darkmatter was standing nearby, and he saw him shift nervously as he watched the carnage. The man was even more spineless than his boss.

_I’m going to enjoy this,_ he thought. When the message from Lightyear had come through, he’d almost answered—just because it would’ve been so _funny_ to hear the shock and confusion in Buzz’s voice—but he could tell from 17's disapproving glare that that wasn’t part of the plan, so he contented himself with something simpler and more vague. He could savour Buzz’s surprise later.

He couldn’t believe how easy it had all been. Even without the codes Zurg had given him, he suspected they could’ve passed through uncontested. It was a brilliant disguise, all these captured ships—no one suspected who they really were.

Best of all, they had the element of surprise. That was their real weapon—the reason Zurg had worked so hard to keep them a secret.

Actually, he thought, that wasn’t true. Surprise was just their armour, it wasn’t their weapon. _He_  was.

* * *

Everything had come to a standstill with the arrival of the new ships. The three fleets waited for someone to make a move. Buzz found himself holding his breath. If the new fleet had come to help them, why weren’t they—

Suddenly, the new ships surged forward. Before Buzz even realised what was happening, their plasma cannons were charging and an instant later dozens of bright pulses lit up the night, slamming into the cruisers surrounding the Dreadnought.

Buzz found himself under heavy fire. Zurg forgotten, he ordered the cruisers to go after the new ships, and they abandoned the crippled Dreadnought.

"Who are they?" he wondered out loud, swinging 42 beneath several shots.

Returning fire, Booster frowned and chewed his lip. "I think I know." 42 shot at one of the smaller ships, hitting its side thrusters and sending it spiralling away. "Um, remember those strange ships out on the frontier?"

_Of course_. The sudden onslaught from Zurg, occurring right after they’d come back from the rim, had driven all thoughts of those ships from his mind, but suddenly Buzz connected the pieces together. "It all makes sense now..." He’d underestimated Zurg.

* * *

"How are the repairs progressing?" Zurg had only spent a moment savouring that sweet feeling of an evil scheme coming together before he was back to hounding his lackeys. You had to watch them every second, or they started slacking off. "Have you got _anything_ online?"

"We’ve taken heavy damage, Your Malevolence," one of the Brain Pods informed him grimly. "Weapons are out of the question—Star Command concentrated most of their attacks on our laser cannons, even after we lost power and couldn’t fire them anyway. However, we have been able to restore power to one of the engines and we’ll have communications up shortly."

"Excellent. That’s all I need." He spun around, his cape whipping behind him. "Take us forward, full power! Bring us into orbit around Capital Planet!"

He hoped they were right about getting communications working soon, though he knew he could count on the new fleet to do their job properly, unlike his own useless minions. That was why he’d hired them, after all. And they had Warp and 17 to watch them, just in case a certain someone had any ambitious ideas...

Zurg tapped his talons together. There was something else that needed to be done, one last person who needed to join the party before it would be complete. The guest of honour, one might say. "Have the president escorted up to the bridge," he ordered one of the Grubs. "We can’t let her miss all the fun, now can we?"

* * *

His plan was working. Nebula dodged another blast, grabbing the blackened remains of a fallen Hornet and holding it up as a shield while he edged the last pair of Hornets closer and closer to the patched hull breach. The rest of their army lay in shattered, smoking pieces at their feet, but like the mindless drones that they were, they refused to surrender. That was the one advantage of limited intelligence, Nebula thought, no fear. They were totally dedicated to their cause. Right now, that cause consisted of finishing the arming sequence on the bomb they held between them. His attacks had made their task a difficult one, but he himself was hampered by the fact that he couldn’t openly destroy them, for fear of setting off the explosive.

So he kept firing at their feet, forcing them further and further back. It wasn’t easy, constantly ducking out the line of fire when they retaliated, but he’d managed so far. A few more steps and they’d be close enough for him to set his plan in motion.

Panting, he charged his laser and fired it over their heads. He couldn’t believe he’d ever given up this life for his boring desk job on Star Command, full of headaches and paperwork. _This_ was what being a Ranger was all about. His pulse was pounding in his ears, and he twisted sideways as another surge of energy zapped past him.

_Come on, you metal freaks, you’re almost there_.

One more step back. Just one more step... He grinned. Diving to the ground, he rolled across to one of the access panels, yanked it open, and fired at the power conduits that connected to the floor. The components within the panel showered him in sparks, and the lights flickered out. All power to the corridor was gone, and all the systems were failing, including gravity. Pieces of Hornet began to drift up from the floor and bounce against each other in the air. His magnetised boot kept him locked down.

The forcefield over the hull breach lasted a moment longer, then it too fizzled out. Immediately, all the air and everything else in the corridor began to rush out, pouring through the hole and out into the great, black emptiness of space.

The Hornets were also magnetised to the floor, but the bomb wasn’t. They tried to hang on to it, but the force was too great and it was pulled from their fingers. Nebula laughed. "So much for your plan, metalheads!" He raised his arm, ready to blast the two robots to atoms.

Then his eyes fell on the still-blinking bomb as it was being sucked out the breach. It was counting down. They’d finished arming it.

_Craters, that’s gonna hurt!_

Forgetting the Hornets, he ran as fast as he could, shoving his way through the debris blowing past him. Every step was an ordeal, with the strong flow of air trying to shove him back and his magnetised boot trying to lock him to the floor. _I have to get clear!_

His breathing was shallow and noisy, and his chest hurt every time he inhaled, but he kept on going. For once he was glad of his metal leg—at least it didn’t ache like the real one did. He was almost to the end of the corridor. If he could get through and seal the doors, that would keep out the worst of the blast.

_Almost..._

He didn’t hear it—too much air had escaped for sound to travel through the hall—but he knew when it happened. One instant everything was grim and dark, and the next the whole corridor was lit up like a department store at Holiday time, the light pouring through the breach in the floor.

For one brief, terrifying moment, he could sense the approaching shockwave. He had time enough to realise he wasn’t going to make it past the doors, wasn’t going to survive the blast, wasn’t going to know who won the battle, wasn’t going to get to tell XR and XL—

The moment ended and everything went black.

* * *

Their pace was slower now that the president was hobbling alongside them, a fact that suited XR just fine—the longer their inevitable confrontation with Zurg was postponed, the better—but the president’s directions allowed them to make good progress. She knew the way, apparently, and assured them they were heading straight for the bridge.

"Okay, let’s take a breather," Mira said, after they’d climbed up another service ladder. She and the president slumped against the wall, while XR glanced around for any sign of company, his gun raised defensively. Their luck still held—the hall was empty.

"Got any more of those on you?" The president was eyeing his laser pistol, her eyes narrowed and almost predatory.

"Uh..." He did—the LGMs always kept him well-stocked with weaponry, even if it somehow never seemed to be enough to prevent his painful destruction at the hands of whichever galactic fiend they were up against that week—but he suddenly felt afraid to tell her that. She really wanted a gun, he realised, which was natural enough under the circumstances, perfectly sensible even, but looking in her eyes, he knew thoughts of self-defense weren’t going through her mind. Could he trust her with a weapon, when their whole plan was risky enough to begin with? They couldn’t afford any mistakes, and he suspected she was just itching to make some.

"Give her one of your spares, XR," Mira told him. "You brought some, right?"

He gulped and nodded. "Um, yeah, sure. Here." You couldn’t say no to your superior officer or your president, could you? Reaching inside his chest, he pulled out a matching red pistol and handed it to the president. "You know how to use one of these, right?"

"You’d be surprised what I know, honey."

He didn’t doubt it.

"Alright, come on, we’re wasting time." Mira stood up and ushered them on, and the president continued to direct them towards the bridge.

_Maybe we’ll be in luck and ol’ Zurg’ll have surrendered by the time we get there_ , XR thought dismally. Now there was something he wouldn’t count on.

"Shh!" both the president’s mouths suddenly hissed, and the trio came to a sharp halt.

"What is it?" whispered Mira.

"Footsteps. Hornets."

"I don’t hear anything..."

"Hornets," she insisted. "I got used to listening for them outside my cell. I _know_ when I hear ‘em."

XR adjusted the volume sensitivity of his auditory sensors, and a distant metallic echo sounded in his head. "She’s right," he nodded. "They’re heading this way!"

"Aw, craters." Mira raised her arm. "Figures we’d run into someone eventually. Okay, defensive positions, people, we’re gonna take them—er, that is, um if, y-you know, that’s okay with you, Madam President, I mean, you’re the one in charge here—we’re gonna take them down as fast as possible, before they have time to alert Zurg, and then we’re gonna keep moving!"

The president nodded. "You think we can handle them, Mira?"

"No sweat. Just a few Hornets, right? I mean, c’mon, I’ve done this dozens of times!"

Moving to the front of the group, Mira took up a fighting stance, her right arm raised. The president stood behind her, fingering the pistol thoughtfully. XR held up his own pistol, and a colourful array of additional weaponry popped out from his back and chest. He then positioned himself beside Mira.

The footsteps grew louder, and even Mira seemed to hear them now, cocking her head as the sound rose. When the Hornets rounded the next corner, they’d be in visual range. XR prepared himself for the moment of attack, mentally bracing himself for the possibility of getting blown to smithereens yet again. It wouldn’t be a real fight if he didn’t get injured in some way, would it?

The footsteps stopped. Mira looked to XR, and he shrugged. They waited. A soft scuffling echoed through the halls, and they saw a small shape emerge from around the corner. When XR shone his optics on it, the wide black eyes of a Grub blinked back at him.

"Hello." It raised its two-fingered hand and waved at them cheerily. "Welcome aboard the Dreadnought, Space Rangers!"

"Huh?" Mira lowered her wrist for a moment, her brow furrowed.

The corridor suddenly came alive with the mechanical sound of Hornet guns being primed. The trio spun around, and XR gasped as they found themselves facing a large squadron of Hornets. Somehow the bots had circled around and snuck up behind them, silent as ghosts.

The Grub smiled, flashing a set of yellow teeth at them. "Evil Emperor Zurg’s going to be so glad I found you! He wants you on the bridge, Prisoner 58. Good thing I checked the scanners on my way here, or I might not have known where you were! You could’ve gotten lost." He said all this with a breezy innocence, but XR got the impression this wasn’t a Grub to be messed with.

Mira’s wrist was raised once more. "Aw, isn’t that sweet? You’re gonna be Zurg’s favourite little pet now, aren’t you?" she cooed. "Nice try. I really mean it—well done. I’ll admit, I didn’t see the ambush coming. But you know what?" Quicker than XR’s optics could register, Mira had swung around and fired her laser, severing the front five Hornets in half with the arc of the beam. "Someone should’ve told you Space Rangers don’t go down that easily!"

The rear Hornets opened fire, marching over their fallen comrades as they advanced towards the trio.

"Madam President, get down!" ordered Mira. "XR, keep her covered!"

"I can take care of myself!" the older woman argued.

XR hustled her into a corner, ignoring her protests and trying not to think about how many political brownie points he might be losing. Repeating Mira’s instruction for her to get down, he positioned himself in front of her as a shield. He might as well have held up a sign that said, "Shoot me, I’m the one guarding the president!" Luckily, Mira seemed to be holding the Hornets off pretty well.

The narrowness of the corridors made it difficult for more than a few Hornets to stand shoulder to shoulder at a time, and Mira had been quick to take advantage of this. With only a few to focus on, she could concentrate both on attacking them and on ghosting through their blasts, something that would’ve been too much for her in a more open environment with attacks coming from all directions.

XR got off a few shots of his own whenever he saw an opening, but it looked like Mira didn’t even need his help. Already, as the smoke cleared, he could see only a few Hornets left standing, and it was a piece of cake for Mira to knock them off one by one. Finally, after what couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes, the last one fell and she stood amongst their scattered remains, wiping the sweat from her brow. XR could saw her knees buckle slightly, and she seemed to be struggling for breath. She really would need a nice long rest after it was all over. But she’d still won.

"Well done!" XR turned his head around to see the Grub beaming. "I didn’t see that coming! Buuuut..."

There was a green flash out the corner of XR’s eye. "Ahh!" Mira fell forward, clutching at the air and hitting the ground with an uncomfortable thud. While her attention had been directed towards the Grub, another squadron of Hornets had arrived.

XR’s mouth fell open and he felt himself panicking. "Mira!"

"You’ve killed her!" screamed the president.

"No," the Grub chuckled, waving its hand in dismissal. "She will be fine."

The new batch of Hornets trooped in, two of them scooping Mira up from the floor and dragging her unconscious form between them. The rest closed in around XR and the president.

"We... we surrender!" XR gulped. What else could they do? They were surrounded and outnumbered!

The Hornets confiscated the pistol from him, and he and the president were marched along within their ranks. Leading the party, the Grub continued to wear its big, infuriating grin. "Come along, we can’t keep the emperor waiting!"

* * *

They were limping along like a wounded animal, but at least they were moving again. Zurg steepled his hands and leaned against one of the dead consoles, staring up out the panoramic windows. The blue orb that he detested so much—the capital of Lightyear’s pathetic little alliance—grew in size, green blotches emerging to form continents. With most of the enemy fleet occupied by the newly-arrived ships, he was free from interference and could at last make progress towards his ultimate goal. The Brain Pods assured him they would have communications up in a matter of minutes, and he would hold them to that.

He smiled. Hijacking all those ships on the frontier had been a gamble—if the secret had slipped out, all his plans could’ve crumbled around him. But it had paid off. Even after Team Lightyear’s excursion to Sector 47, Star Command had never suspected he had this ace up his sleeve. Even his own minions had been in the dark, with the exception of a select few such as Brain Pod 17 and eventually Warp Darkmatter. He didn’t trust the rest with his plans—you never knew when one of the snivelling wretches might defect and spill the beans to Star Command.

That was why he’d crewed the ships with outsiders—mercenaries, prisoners and anyone else capable enough who he could get under his thumb. They wouldn’t go blabbing to Star Command, and they wouldn’t fall into chaos without his instructions like his own minions had. They were his elite fighting force, his secret army. And he knew every single one of them would stab him in the back given half the chance. Especially their leader. His smile widened. Well, they wouldn’t get that chance, or any other chances ever again, once their usefulness had expired.

His eyes flitted to the star cruisers and the other Galactic Alliance ships battling it out with his fleet. _Ah, Buzz, still so determined_. It would take a lot to force Lightyear to give in. And he was putting up a pretty good fight too—Zurg could just make out the hated digits of 42 on the lead cruiser’s hull, and he watched as it tore through the attacking fleet, blasting holes in ships left and right. Many of the smaller vessels had already been disabled by these attacks. Still, the Rangers were outnumbered and it was now much harder to tell who was friend and who was foe, with so many familiar ships entering the fray to fight for Zurg instead of the Alliance. He wondered how long it would be before some of the Alliance ships were destroyed by friendly fire. Oh, wouldn’t it be simply delightful if Buzz killed a few of his own people by mistake? Zurg chortled to himself.

"Evil Emperor Zurg," the familiar voice of his personal assistant, Grub 128112, piped up. "I have the former president, as requested!"

"Excellent." He turned around, ready to greet her with a sinister sneer. Instead, his face screwed up in confusion. Assembled before him was not just the president and One-Two, but also the robot Ranger XR and Mira Nova herself, albeit unconscious in the arms of two Hornets. "Well, well, well."

The Grub gestured to the two Rangers proudly. "We caught them sneaking the president out," he said. "I had them captured!"

"Good work, my little Grub." Zurg reached out and patted the ecstatic creature’s head, deciding the faithful servant deserved a small bone thrown its way for its service. "So, Rangers Nova and XR. You survived the impact—I must say, I am impressed."

"Leave them, Zurg." There was more fire than usual in the president’s voice. "I’m the one you summoned, so go on now, do whatever it is you wanted to do to me, but leave them out of it!"

"Ah, but why settle for just you when all three of you can watch the fireworks? Oh, this is outstanding!" Zurg clapped his hands and rubbed them together gleefully.

"Ughhh." Mira’s eyes blinked open, and her head lifted groggily, then dropped back down.

Zurg frowned. "I can’t have my audience _sleeping_. That is just rude." He lashed a hand out, striking the Tangean sharply across the jaw, enjoying the feel of his metal gloves against soft skin. Too bad it was only her though. She was unimportant.

"Stop it!" XR begged, and the president shouted insults at him.

He ignored them, watching Mira’s startled awakening. Her eyes were wide open now and she stood up straight, staring all around in fear and confusion. A drop of blue blood trickled from her lower lip.

"Zurg," she breathed, her gaze settling on him.

"Ranger Nova," he purred. "I can’t say I’m delighted to see you survived—kudos to you for your strategy, by the way, you’ll be pleased to know you caused me a great deal of trouble—but now that you’re here, perhaps you’d like a front row seat to the greatest spectacle in the galaxy!"

"What?" She blinked, still dazed.

The mocking smile crept further across his face. "Are you ready to witness the destruction of the Galactic Alliance?" He wished he could be whispering these words to Lightyear, but fate hadn’t been quite that kind to him. Still, Lightyear’s rookies and the galactic president were a more than adequate substitute.

"Liar!" the president spat at him from where she stood. "Your ship’s falling apart! What can you do against our Rangers?"

He cackled. "Oh, but it’s not your Rangers I’m fighting! They have their hands full at the moment, I’m afraid. I have a much simpler target in mind. The one thing I’ve always wanted."

The two Rangers looked at him in confusion, but he could see understanding dawning in the president’s eyes. "No!" she bellowed with both mouths.

"Communications have been restored," a Brain Pod wheeled over to inform him.

They were now hovering so close to Capital Planet that the blue-green sphere encompassed nearly the whole screen. Zurg gazed up at it. "Jim cracking dandy!" _At last_. Spinning around, he threw his hands up in the air. "Grubs! Open a channel to Agent Darkmatter!" He felt electric, crackling with energy, _alive_.

The Grubs hurried to obey. "Channel open!" one announced.

"Darkmatter!"

"Zurg?" Warp’s voice was low and fuzzy, but audible enough. The repairs had been successful.

"Excellent timing," he told him, feeling suddenly generous with compliments. "Showed up just in the nick of time. You’ve done well! See that two thirds of your ships continue to keep the Rangers at bay, and instruct what’s left of my miserable fleet to do the same! As for you and the remaining third of _your_ fleet..." If he’d had lips, he would’ve licked them, because the most delectable part of the whole plan was finally at hand. He felt a shiver run down his spine, and his breathing quickened. _This is it._ "I want you to open fire on Capital Planet."

Shouts arose from the Rangers and the president, but he wasn’t listening. There would be time enough to savour their despair later.

There was a pause on Darkmatter’s end. "Um, okay. Got it." It was difficult to tell over the bad line, but Warp sounded unsure of himself. Zurg suspected he didn’t really have the stomach for this kind of thing.

"And Darkmatter," the emperor added, "give our prisoner free rein. This is the moment I’ve been saving him for."

"You sure that’s a good idea, Z?"

"DO AS I SAY, DARKMATTER!" He took a deep breath, trying to control the wonderful, thrilling, terrifying mix of unbridled emotions that had swept over him so completely. _Not yet, not yet_ , he told himself. He couldn’t lose his head yet. _Wait until victory is guaranteed. Wait until you_ know."Set his savagery loose," he told Warp. "Let him have his blood—the situation finally calls for it, and I know _you_ certainly don’t have it in you, you pathetic coward! We are going to win this _,_ Darkmatter— _no matter what_." No price was too high.

The president stumbled forward, shaking off the Hornet that tried to hold her. "Don’t do this!" she screamed. "Warp Darkmatter, I order you, in the name of everything you once believed in, to put a stop to this senseless carnage! You were a citizen of the Galactic Alliance once! You swore an oath to protect and defend its people! I _beg_ you—"

"Oh, _shut_ up!" Zurg snapped his fingers and the Hornets pulled the president back, one of them clamping its hands over her mouths. "Darkmatter, carry out my orders!"

Another pause, longer than the first. "Yes, Evil Emperor. Darkmatter out."

The connection was broken, and Zurg gestured for the Hornets to relax their hold on the president. "Well, how do you like that, eh?" he bent over and laughed in her face.

"You can’t do this!" It was the princess Ranger, struggling in the grasp of another Hornet, though more for show than anything else, Zurg noted with amusement, since she hadn’t tried ghosting away.

"There are innocent people on that planet!" said XR.

"I know." Zurg found himself giggling. It was all shaping up so perfectly! He was breathless, giddy. Oh, what a glorious thing it was to be winning!

"You’re disgusting!" the president snarled. "Murderer! What have you done? Who is this person you’re unleashing upon my people?"

He threw his head back and his laughter was pure and unrestrained, more so than it had been in a very long time. "Why, Buzz Lightyear, of course!"


	28. Chapter 27

The president, Mira Nova, and XR stared at Zurg. He’d been raving like a madman the moment they’d been dragged in, and now it had built up to a crescendo. "You’re insane," the president said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Buzz Lightyear? What _are_ you on about?"

The emperor rubbed his hands together, his whole body quivering. "Oh, but it’s so simple, Madam President," he replied. "The man leading the second fleet is none other than Buzz Lightyear himself!"

"Well, I can tell you straight away you’re wrong there," said XR, rolling his eyes. "We left Buzz back on 42."

"Ah, so you did. And there he remains, ‘fighting the good fight’ as he would oh so tiresomely put it." Zurg gestured to the Valkryan raiding ship that led the second fleet. "But there he is as well, about to destroy everything you hold dear. Trouble always comes in pairs, you know. And who’s more trouble than Buzz Lightyear?"

Frowning, the president wondered if Zurg had finally lost it completely. But when she glanced at the Rangers, she saw all the colour had drained from Mira’s face and the woman was as still as a stone.

"It couldn’t... but he’s..." Mira gaped at Zurg. "Even if he survived, surely even you wouldn’t be crazy enough to work with him again!"

"What are you talking about, child?" the president demanded.

"As Ranger Nova has so astutely surmised," said Zurg, speaking like a professor lecturing a trio of particularly dim-witted students, "the Buzz Lightyear leading my fleet is none other than the man I pulled from the alternate universe several years ago—the evil Buzz Lightyear!"

XR gasped. " _What_?! But he’s toast! Buzz and Mira saw him fall into the sun! The _sun_ , for crying out loud!"

"And how many times do you think I’ve believed _your_ Lightyear dead, only to have him return to thwart my plans, with that infernal boy scout grin plastered across his face and those tacky catchphrases on his lips, hmm?"

The president thought back to the alternate universe affair. She remembered Buzz’s "death", the sudden attack on Star Command, and the destruction of Zurg’s Dreadnought. She’d been on Capital Planet at the time, in session with the rest of the Senate as they tried to work out what to do after Star Command was half-destroyed and all the Rangers captured. Before they could agree on a decision, Buzz and his team—with some help from their alternate universe counterparts—had saved the day and sent Zurg packing. The evil Buzz Lightyear was thought killed in the explosion, until he’d returned alongside Gravitina and tried to destroy Capital Planet through a series of sunquakes. According to Buzz’s report, the evil Lightyear was finally killed for real when his orbital station began to tear apart and he fell through a crack in the hull, plummeting into the surface of the sun. Surely that was enough to kill anybody?

"It can’t really be him," she protested.

"Oh, but it is. How he survived isn’t important—apparently he caught hold of a spare rocket as he fell, or some other equally improbable Lightyearish scenario like that—the point is he’s alive, and working for _me_!"

Mira’s face was filled with horror. "How can you be so stupid?" she yelled at Zurg. "Didn’t you learn _anything_ from the last time? You can’t control him—he’ll kill everyone, including you!"

"I’ve taken measures against that," Zurg assured her. "In any case, I intend for him to be dead before the day is over. Believe me, Ranger Nova, I know who I’m dealing with."

The Tangean didn’t look satisfied. "Fine, whatever, even if you’re right, how can you do this? Do you have any idea what he’ll do to Capital Planet? He’s a sadistic maniac!"

"Precisely."

The president recalled the reports Buzz had written after he’d returned from the alternate universe. He’d spoken of the brutal devastation he’d encountered—planets ravaged, whole civilizations wiped out, people living without hope. Her fists tightened. She wouldn’t let that happen here—not to her Alliance. Not to her people.

"Call him off!" she ordered Zurg.

"Or what?" the emperor laughed back at her.

She slipped a hand under her cravat, her fingers tightening around the item she’d hidden there. With a swift motion she yanked it out and raised it at Zurg. "Or I’ll blast your ugly head clean off your shoulders."

Zurg raised his brow at the sight of the pistol. "Well, well, well, this is a surprise. So the traitor wants to play hero now, does she? Go on then, shoot me."

Her finger shook as she poised it above the trigger. "Shut up!" she yelled. "Just shut up and call off those ships before they reach Capital Planet!"

"Hmm, let me see, how about... NO!" Zurg folded his arms. "If you want to stop me, prove you have some backbone and fire. My Hornets will kill you a moment later, of course, but at least you’ll die a hero instead of the snivelling, treacherous coward you are now."

"Oi, that’s the galactic president you’re talking to there, buddy!" XR wagged a finger at him.

Zurg laughed. "The same president who sold you all out. The same president who made this whole shebang possible!"

Her body felt icy and stiff. She tried to keep the gun straight, training it on the emperor’s cackling head. _Shut up, shut up._ "I’ll kill you," she warned.

"You’re a liar!" Mira shouted at Zurg.

"Am I? Should you tell them or should I, Madam President?" He pronounced the title with scorn.

"Call off those ships," the resident repeated desperately.

"Do you think they’ll still want to stand by your side and defend you when they learn the truth?" he jeered. "Do you think they’ll still want to call you their president?"

_Just do it. Pull the trigger._ She could rid the universe of this... this _disease_ in an instant! All it would take was a little pressure on the trigger. _Do it,_ the voice continued to scream inside her head.

Zurg had turned to the Rangers now. "Have you noticed how close we are to Capital Planet—and yet their planetary defense system hasn’t shot us down? Have you noticed how my second fleet managed to slip through without raising any alarms? Think about it—the only way I could pull that off is if I had the defense codes."

"So you have another mole on Capital Planet or something," said Mira, glaring at him. "Big deal."

"What good would a mole do me?" Zurg waved away her explanation. "Maybe they could get me the right border codes, but only a very few people know the codes to deactivate the defense grid." His eyes met the president’s and she flinched, looking away.

"No!" insisted XR. "The president would never—"

"But I did!" she snapped.

They stared at her. Her heart ached as she watched the disbelief on their faces morph into horror and betrayal.

"No," breathed Mira. "But..."

"I had no choice." The president turned back to Zurg, narrowing her eyes and squeezing the trigger just a little tighter. She still couldn’t push it down all the way. "He—he made me do it!"

"What could he possibly have done to justify... to justify betraying the entire Alliance?!" accused the princess.

She wanted to shut her eyes. Zurg was smirking at the three of them, enjoying what he’d started. Oh, why couldn’t she just shoot him and be done with it? "He threatened an innocent girl! I had to save her! I wasn’t going to stand by and watch someone die when I could stop it!"

"So instead you gave him the means to kill everyone on Capital Planet!"

"I... I didn’t know this would happen!"

Mira scowled at her. "You should’ve found another way! He’s right—you betrayed us!"

"No!" With an angry cry she flung the pistol at the floor, dropping to her knees and putting her hands over her eyes. "I’m not... I can’t... I love my Alliance! I didn’t mean— This isn’t what I wanted!"

There was a cold edge to Zurg’s chuckle as he bent down to pick up the gun, casually flicking it to one of the Grubs. "I told you once you were a hypocrite," he whispered to her.

Sobbing into her hands, she briefly contemplated clawing his awful crimson eyes out.

"I was right," he continued. "You can betray an entire alliance, but you can’t even kill one person with your own hands." He leaned in closer, his face almost touching hers. "You said I was disgusting. Well, you disgust _me._ "

* * *

Buzz had watched with growing concern as a section of the new fleet broke away and headed for Capital Planet. The remaining ships were keeping the cruisers busy, but he realised suddenly that the real battle was no longer being fought there. The Dreadnought was already in orbit above the planet, and when those ships joined it he knew it would all be over. Flashes of memory returned to him, images of Jo-Ad surrounded by Zurg ships. The world he’d promised to protect and failed. _I should never have let those ships get through_ , he thought, gritting his teeth. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake now. There was no way he was letting them get Hornets on the ground.

"Booster, change of plans," he announced. "The others can handle these ships—I hope. We’re gonna take a few cruisers and try to head off those guys."

Booster nodded, making no objection.

Contacting the nearest star cruisers, Buzz ordered four of them to follow him, and the party pulled out of the main fight and went after the ships making for Capital Planet. He tried not to think about how badly outnumbered the Alliance fleet he was leaving behind was, and how much worse the slaughter would be without him there to help. He had to stop the other ships, that was all there was to it. The people of Capital Planet needed defending. Everything else was secondary.

* * *

When one of the crew had announced 42 and several others cruisers were tailing them, Warp felt a cold shiver run through his body. He hadn’t liked anything about this whole setup from the start, and throwing his old partner into the mix wasn’t going to make it any better.

To make matters even worse, that same old partner—or a version of him, anyway—was seated right next to him, eyes gleaming with anticipation as they neared Capital Planet. It was uncanny, looking at this man who was so much like Buzz and yet so completely different. Warp had never met Lightyear’s doppelganger before, as he hadn’t been present when Zurg had opened the rift into the parallel universe, and he’d only half-believed the stories when he’d returned. An evil Buzz Lightyear—seriously? Warp could picture a lot of things, but not that. "I’ll believe it when I see it," he’d said at the time.

Now that he was faced with the chilling reality, however, he wished desperately that he was anywhere else in the galaxy but here. There was something cold—no, not cold, _dead_ —about the man. An emptiness in his eyes where most people had a spark of life. The beard was new too, a finely-trimmed blue goatee that covered the enormous chin this Buzz had in common with his law-abiding double.

Warp still hadn’t spoken to him. They hadn’t exchanged a single word throughout the entire trip. What could you say? He wondered if this version of Buzz even knew him—perhaps he didn’t exist in the alternate universe, or maybe he’d gone into a line of work that never led him to cross paths with Lightyear.

_Or maybe you were the good guy and he was the partner who betrayed you_ , a voice whispered in his head. He tried to ignore it. He’d made his choices, and he was going to stick by them. They’d brought him to the winning side after all, right?

"Almost in firing range," Brain Pod 17 reported in his usual perky tone. "Are you ready?"

The dark version of Buzz nodded. "Just tell me when."

Warp wondered how anyone so similar to his former friend could have a voice with so little warmth in it. He was used to the fire and rage and shifting moods of Zurg—they may have been unpleasant to deal with, especially when he was on the receiving end of the emperor’s anger, but at least it seemed natural. Not like this.

Stepping forward hesitantly, he approached the prisoner. His mind kept refusing to call the man Buzz. "So," he fumbled for words, finally breaking the silence. "Got a strategy in mind?"

When the prisoner looked at him, Warp had to force himself not to cringe away from the intense gaze. "Same as always," the man answered. "Hit them where it hurts and watch them bleed."

Well, if the prisoner shared one trait with the real Buzz, it was a taste for pointless metaphors and witticisms that didn’t actually tell you anything. Boy, had Warp had a lifetime’s worth of those from his partner. Buzz’s melodramatic sayings were usually a little less... violent, though. "Uh, okay. So, what, we’re gonna knock out their power grid, hit some strategic industrial targets, maybe destroy the Alliance Plaza?" He relished the thought of politicians running screaming as their Senate went up in flames.

"Negative," was the reply. "Come on, is this your first planetary conquest? That’s kid’s stuff." The man leaned forward, running his hands along the smooth controls that operated the raider’s weapons. "This is real war."

"Within firing range!" announced 17. "It’s in your hands now."

"Good." The prisoner smiled. "Just the way I like it." His fingers moved nimbly over the controls, setting the targeting coordinates. Warp leaned over his shoulder to see what he was inputting.

His eyebrows shot up. "But that’s—"

The prisoner slammed his hand down on the controls to release the torpedos. They left the ship in a long line of bright flares, all of them heading for the planet below.

Warp could only stare. He remembered what the president had said, pleading with him not to let this happen. _Well, too late for that now, lady._ He’d sold out his oath a long time ago anyway.

* * *

_Tick tock._ The steady rhythm of the old clock on the wall was the only break in the silence that hung heavily over the house. Mr. Hayman turned the page of his gardening catalogue, glancing at a pair of laser pruning shears. His own pair would need replacing soon, and these ones were a reasonable price. He made a note to order them when he had a chance.

It wasn’t easy, pretending nothing was wrong. Maybe if he’d stayed at his sister’s and had someone to talk to, he could’ve managed it. But here, on his own, in a house that was too quiet, the tension was nearly more than he could bear. How long would he have to wait? _Come on, Buzz,_ it was almost a prayer, _come on. You can defeat Zurg! I know you can!_

Buzz may have been his nextdoor neighbour, but in all the years they’d lived side by side, Hayman had never forgotten for a moment that the man was also a living legend. In fact, it was a thing he liked to brag about at family gatherings. Sure, his sister was the successful lawyer and his cousin had married well and had three smiling kids, but he lived next to _the_ Buzz Lightyear. It didn’t always sound all that impressive, but it sure was going to sound good after today when they all owed Buzz their freedom. Maybe then they’d stop hassling him to go out and do something with his life besides growing prize-winning Rhizomian tulips.

He glanced out the window, a small smile managing to break across his face as he gazed on his flowerbeds. They were doing so well—a little green fly now and then, and he was constantly on the watch for fungus, but—

There was a flash of orange. The window exploded, glass spraying everywhere. His reflexes took over and Hayman jumped behind the sofa, shielded from the worst of it. The face of the old clock shattered.

The curtains stopped billowing and he stood up tentatively. Half a dozen tiny cuts stung across his skin, and he had to take care as he stepped over the glass scattered all over the floor. Reaching the window, he stared out. The air smelled of smoke.

A few blocks away, where once there had been houses just like his, there was nothing. Trees had lined the avenues, and from his window he used to be able to see Mrs. Tovan’s well-kept house and that old jalopy that stood on the Johnsons’ lawn, and to the left there’d been the empty lot where the kids played on weekends and... and it just wasn’t there anymore, none of it. Instead, a blackened crater covered the area, and a few large pieces of twisted metal and small chunks of cement were spread about in a messy fashion. The surviving trees that lay on the outskirts of the crater were blazing orange. Huge clouds of black smoke rose up.

Hayman continued to stare. How many people had been in that neighbourhood? How many had refused to evacuate? He didn’t know. But none could’ve survived that blast—everything had just been wiped away, as if it had never been there at all. Suddenly his tulips mattered very little.

* * *

She was always discovering new things about herself—new powers, new stuff she’d never known she could do. Her father said even those who’d devoted their lives to the development of their abilities didn’t know the full extent of them. He’d been right, as she’d found out firsthand when power ghosting had opened up a whole new world of possibilities for her. That was all in the past now, but she was still learning new ways to harness her powers.

Usually it was an exciting process, but not this time.

Mira found herself staggering forward, only the Hornets’ grasp preventing her from falling to her knees. A gasp escaped her lips. Waves of feeling rippled over her—no, _shot through her_. It hurt. It was like her body was exploding, over and over, and rays of light seemed to dazzle in front of her eyes but there was nothing there. And when the feelings departed, they seemed to take everything with them—her entire being seemed to vanish, leaving behind a dull blackness. That sensation too finally subsided, but a sense of loss remained. It was like being in a bright room and watching hundreds of candles suddenly go out.

There was no mistaking the cause. The three of them—she, XR, and the president—had watched helplessly as Capital Planet was bombarded by Zurg’s forces. _By the evil Buzz Lightyear_ , she thought with a shiver. She’d been yelling, cursing Zurg, while XR just stared silently in disbelief and the president sobbed on the floor. None of it had done any good. Zurg had laughed, actually _laughed_ , as the torpedos hit their targets. They’d spread out around the planet, each one striking at a different area. She didn’t know where exactly they’d fallen, but she knew a great many people had just died. It was one thing to feel that someone was still alive, as she’d done when the planet destroyer took Tangea; it was quite another to feel them die. She hadn’t felt Corporal Brooks’ passing, or anyone else’s before that moment. But with so many lives blinking out in one instant—

She forced herself not the think about it, trying not to let the tears in her eyes fall.

"How do you like THAT?" Zurg demanded of them, practically rocking on his heels. "Who says evil never wins, hmm?"

Mira balled her hands into fists. "You haven’t won yet, you... you—!" She couldn’t find any words bad enough, not even the Grounder curses Romac had once taught her.

"Oh, no?" He pointed to Capital Planet with a metal-covered claw. "How long will your people be able to hold out against my attacks? How many of them do you think your government will let die before they finally surrender?"

"They’ll... they’ll never surrender to you." The president had looked up from the floor, but she didn’t sound convinced. Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks.

"They will if they know what’s good for them."

If she’d thought it would do any good, Mira would’ve ghosted free and slammed her fist into Zurg’s face hard enough to force her hand out the other side, no intangibility required. But even if she succeeded, how would that help? Even if she could get Zurg to order his ships to cease fire, would the evil Buzz even listen? He certainly hadn’t stopped the slaughter in his own universe until the entire galaxy lay in ruins. And any resistance on her part could easily get all three of them killed, probably quite pointlessly. But blast it, she couldn’t just stand by while people were dying! It went against everything she believed in.

"Zurg, I swear to you," she rasped, "if you don’t put a stop to this right now I will... I... I’ll—"

"Do nothing. You _can’t_ do anything, can you?" he cooed, as if talking to a child. "Brave Mira Nova, always ready to take on the whole universe all by herself. Well, you can’t—not this time!" He laughed. "You’re not much good without Buzz Lightyear backing you up, are you? You think you’re the galaxy’s next great hero, but all you really are is bratty princess who got bored and decided to play at Space Rangers. The game’s over, Princess—you lost!"

* * *

"Buzz..."

"I know, Booster."

They were too late. The ships had reached Capital Planet. But they weren’t there to launch ground forces after all. Things were going very differently from the conquest of Jo-Ad, and not in a good way. Buzz and Booster had watched, open-mouthed, as the ships began firing on the planet’s surface. Buzz felt a horrible nausea clutching him. He shook it away, but it was a few moments before he dared ask Booster where the torpedos had landed.

The rookie checked his screen, his red skin going a shade paler. "A-a-all of them fell on major population centres, Buzz," he gulped. "They’re... they’re hitting neighbourhoods and hospitals and—and stuff like that! They can’t do that! Isn’t that against every rule of civilised warfare?"

"There’s no such thing as civilised warfare, Booster." But even Buzz was shocked by the brutality of it. He thought he’d known what Zurg was capable of, and he certainly knew the emperor would kill without conscience if need be, but this was on scale he hadn’t been prepared for. Military and political targets, sure—not civilians. As a rule, Zurg preferred to enslave them.

Buzz decided not to think about how he’d failed again. Instead they had to focus on stopping any more people from dying. "I want every watt of power diverted to engines, stat!" he ordered. "We have to reach those ships and take them out!"

* * *

"Let’s see, who’s next?" Buzz—no, not Buzz, just _the_ _prisoner_ —entered in a fresh set of coordinates. "Goodbye, Capital City retirement home."

_Just don’t think about it. Ignore it. It’s all gotta happen, right? We have to win._ Warp looked up at the ceiling and counted rivets. Why should he care about what they were doing to Capital Planet anyway? It wasn’t his home anymore, and those weren’t his people. Heck, they’d have him tried and executed for treason given half the chance. So what did it matter if this alternate Lightyear guy levelled a few towns? They had it coming.

"Excellent work," Brain Pod 17 nodded to the prisoner. "The planet will be in a panic. Soon the people will be pounding on the doors of the Galactic Senate, begging their government to surrender!"

_I hope they hurry up_. Warp shifted uncomfortably.

* * *

"Ooh, it seems Lightyear’s just flattened half of downtown Capital City—pity, Cosmic Crunchies was there." Zurg let out a mock sigh. "Oh well."

"Don’t call him that!" Mira snapped. "He isn’t Buzz!"

"Oh, but he is! Can’t you appreciate the delicious irony? No?" The emperor shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder why I bother. In any case, he is the instrument I shall use to bring the Galactic Alliance to its knees!"

There was a cough from one of the Grubs. "Your Evilness, five star cruisers are approaching—led by 42!"

_Yes!_ Mira felt small wave of relief. Buzz would handle it somehow—he had to.

A hint of a frown played over Zurg’s face, but he kept his voice calm. "Tell the fleet to increase the intensity of their attacks, and send a few of their ships out to distract Lightyear." The frown returned. "He will not interfere with my plans, not now! Tell the other Lightyear he can raze whole cities if he has to! Whatever it takes!"

"No!" The president strained against the Hornets holding her. "This has gone on long enough! Stop it, Zurg! Stop hurting those innocent people!"

"If it bothers you, Madam President, I suggest you think about whose fault it is I got this far in the first place."

Mira swallowed, watching the president’s defiance deflate. She could still scarcely believe it—had the president, a woman she’d admired and thought so strong, really given up precious secrets to Zurg? She didn’t know what to think.

"Maybe the two of you can stand there and take this, but I’m a _Space Ranger_!" A cutting disc emerged from XR’s chest, sawing off the arm of the Hornet holding him. "And you’re going down, pal!" He charged at Zurg, weapons popping out of his chest and back.

"XR, no!" She wanted to join him more than anything, but Mira knew it would be futile. "You’ll just get yourself—"

The Hornets opened fire. XR’s speed allowed him to actually dodge a few of their blasts, but more rained down and struck his metal chassis. An explosion rent through him, throwing bits of XR everywhere and leaving a scorched black mark where he’d been standing.

Mira watched her friend fall to the ground in hundreds of pieces. She’d seen it happen a dozen times before, but never had it made her feel so alone and helpless. "XR... you shot XR!"

A snicker from Zurg was the only answer she got.

She lifted her eyes to the windows. Orange flares were still lighting up the planet’s surface where the weapons hit. _People are dying_! She could still feel it sometimes, but she’d tried to block that particular sense out. _XR was right—we have to do something! But what?_

"Prisoner 42 has just asked for a list of children’s hospitals," informed one of the Grubs. "Should I give it to him?"

Even Zurg seemed to hesitate for a moment, then he waved a hand. "A bit over the top, even for him, but give him whatever he needs. I want this finished!"

"Is this who you are now, Zurg?" Mira spat. "Someone who murders children?"

"You say that like I haven’t done it before."

The president staggered forward again. "You can’t do this! Not this, Zurg! Please!"

The emperor casually flicked some dust from his shoulder. "And how far will you go to prevent it? If you would sacrifice your alliance for one person, will you do it again for thousands?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You have it in your power to save them. To redeem yourself."

"Don’t listen to him," Mira hissed. "Don’t do anything he says!"

Zurg ignored her. "I can open a channel to the Senate, Madam President." He leaned in. "Tell them you surrender."

"She’s not the president anymore, Taln is!" objected Mira. _Please, Buzz, please do_ something. She suspected her captain was still too busy tangling with the ships Zurg had sent to stall him, however.

"Ah, but only because they believed the real president to be dead." Zurg folded his arms. "Your term isn’t up _yet_ , Madam President."

The older woman crumpled, falling to her knees again. "You’re asking me to hand my people over to you..."

"Or let them die. Your choice. Which do you think they would prefer?" There was a gleam in his eyes. "Can you really sacrifice them all for your principles of freedom and goodness and standing against evil, blablabla? I’m sure _you_ would gladly die for your alliance, but should _they_?"

After a long pause, the president sighed. "You know, Zurg, you’re right—I am a hypocrite. I’ll compromise my principles every time if it means saving lives, and I won’t apologise for it." She looked up at him with renewed strength. "I’ll take hypocrisy over whatever you are any day." Abruptly, the strength left and she nodded wearily. "I won’t let my people die. I’ll do it, anything you ask. Just call your ships off."

Mira felt herself grow so cold and still that she wondered if her heart had stopped. "You can’t..." she breathed. _No no no no nonono Buzz please! Come through for us!_

"Signal the fleet," Zurg ordered. "Tell them they can turn their full attention to Lightyear and his foolish little band of heroes. Give me a direct line to the Galactic Senate!"

The rest seemed to pass in a blur. Mira watched, only half listening, as Zurg rang up the Senate and gleefully produced the president. There was shock, doubt, and confusion on the faces of the politicians. But fear most of all.

Mira looked all around in a daze, her eyes flickering to the floor. She saw bits of white shrapnel, and her eyes searched the room frantically. She couldn’t see where XR’s head had fallen. Would he be okay? Would Zurg even let them reconstruct him? _Ha, does it even matter anymore?_

She could hear arguing. Taln didn’t want to surrender. The president was insisting. Zurg had them read out casualty reports—so many dead. Mira could hear the fight leaving Taln’s voice.

And then she saw him bow his head and nod to Zurg.

* * *

On every vidscreen, on every radio, and above every smoke-blackened sky on Capital Planet, the image of the Galactic Alliance’s supposedly-late president flickered into view. The woman whose death had launched what had turned out to be a reign of terror by the Alliance’s greatest foe was standing there, very much alive. Everywhere, those who were not injured or trapped under rubble looked up in frightened amazement.

"Peoples of the Galactic Alliance." She seemed to be choking on her own words. "You’ve been brave and held out a long time. But we can’t keep fighting." A sob escaped one of her mouths. "I don’t want to lose any more of you. Not a single life. This may be the hardest thing I ever do, but now I ask you all to lay down your arms and surrender. Those of you in our fleet must come home and give yourself up to Zurg’s people. Those of you on Capital Planet must not resist when Zurg’s forces land. Every one of you must submit to... to your new emperor. I wish there was another way—any other way—but there isn’t. Please, make this easy on yourselves and everyone else and give in quietly. I w-will do what I can for all of you. I’m... I’m sorry. Today the Galactic Alliance surrenders."

The transmission ended.


	29. Chapter 28

Buzz glared at the screen for a long moment after he heard the president’s announcement. He hadn’t even had time to react to the fact that she was still alive. She’d... she’d surrendered! To _Zurg_! With a tightened fist, Buzz slammed the console hard. "No. No—we are not giving in."

"But Buzz," whimpered Booster, "what can we do?"

There were still ships all around them—the vessels that had attacked Capital Planet so mercilessly had set upon 42 with equal ferocity—and the five cruisers in Buzz’s squad wouldn’t be able to hold them off for long.

"I don’t know, Booster, but surrender is _not_ an option!" Not to Zurg. He couldn’t believe this was happening. It couldn’t be real. His whole world was evaporating around him—the Galactic Alliance, his team, everything he believed in. But it wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling. He thought back to Warp again. _I lost everything once. Zurg almost won that time too_. And he beat him. Zurg had enslaved every world in the Galactic Alliance with his mind control ray, and the situation had looked as bleak as it ever could, but somehow Buzz had dragged victory away from him.

_I can do it again_.

Even he knew when a cause was hopeless, though. There was no winning this particular fight. Zurg had them all surrounded, and if Buzz continued to drive his cruisers at Zurg’s forces, the Rangers were just going to get killed. He could already see the rest of the fleet reluctantly surrendering, a few ships holding out longer than the rest, but all of them ultimately powering down their weapons and submitting to Zurg.

Well, not his five ships.

"We’re getting out of here," he announced, signalling the cruisers. "Zurg may have won this battle, but the war’s not over yet. All cruisers, follow me, top speed! Divert anything you have to the engines! We’re going to live to fight another day, and we’re going to come back here and free the Galactic Alliance, or I’m not Buzz Lightyear of Star Command!"

Not matter how necessary it was, he couldn’t help cringing at the thought of retreating. There was no getting around it by calling it a "strategic withdrawal" this time. They were running for their lives, pure and simple. He threw down the controls, sending the ship forward at full throttle. The attacking vessels immediately pursued.

_Come on, baby, a little faster_ , he urged 42. He wasn’t going to let himself be caught. If that happened, the Galactic Alliance’s only chance went right out the window. And there was _no way_ he was going to be dragged before Zurg to grovel. He’d die first. Zurg would kill him anyway, he was certain of it, and it wouldn’t be a boring old vaporisation execution either. Zurg would have something special in mind.

If he could do nothing else, at least he could deny the evil freak that pleasure.

* * *

"Buzz Lightyear is trying to escape," reported a Grub, mumbling the words and flinching as it looked up at Zurg.

_Of course he is._ Zurg knew he shouldn’t have expected the man to come quietly. In his elation, he’d almost forgotten about Buzz—a dangerous thing to do, but he was so swept up in the thrill of victory. And it wasn’t just another small victory like Jo-Ad had been, this was the real thing. This was the ultimate triumph—conquest of the Galactic Alliance itself! Barring a few non-aligned corners like the Raenok empire, he was the supreme ruler of the entire galaxy! He could feel a maniacal laugh coming on.

But no, he had to get back on track. He could celebrate later. Lightyear still had to be taken care of. "Destroy him!" he ordered.

"Prisoner 42 is already in pursuit," answered the Grub.

This news didn’t please Zurg. _He should’ve destroyed Buzz before he started escaping_. Now Zurg had an awkward decision to make—should he allow the prisoner to hunt Buzz down and eliminate him, the one remaining threat to his empire, or would it be safer to recall all his ships? What it really came down to was a matter of which Buzz was more dangerous. If he let the evil one go, he might not come back. _That’s nonsense_ , he told himself. _I have Warp and 17 there to control him_. But this was Buzz Lightyear, and he knew exactly what he was capable of.

_Where can Buzz run to anyway? The whole galaxy is mine! He has nowhere to hide._ It was only a matter of time before Zurg caught him. And victory would be all the sweeter if he could take Buzz alive and deal with him personally. If he let the evil Buzz go out, the he would simply kill him and then Zurg would never have that chance.

He made his decision. "Order them to cease their pursuit and return here immediately _,"_ Zurg announced. "I want all my ships accounted for."

"But what about the escaping star cruisers?"

"Let them go, for now. Their time will come soon enough." He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the sinking feeling that he’d just done something incredibly stupid, and spun around. "Now! There is much work to be done. Have Ranger Nova escorted to the brig until I decide what to do with her. Get the _former_ president of the _former_ Galactic Alliance cleaned up for a state visit—she’s coming with me to the Senate for the signing of the official surrender agreement. And have this..." He gestured to the remains of the robot Ranger. "...mess removed."

"As you command, O Evil One!"

Mira struggled against the Hornets carrying her away. "Leave XR alone!" She battered her fists on the robots’ metal chests, trying to get Zurg’s attention. "You won’t get away with this, Zurg! I won’t let you!"

He ignored her tired and meaningless threats, turning to one of the other Grubs. "Have my shuttle ready for launch in five minutes."

Returning to his personal quarters, he straightened his appearance—the attacks on the Dreadnought had left him slightly dishevelled, and covered in a fine layer of soot from all the smoke. Then, after he’d made sure to polish his horns one last time, he left his room and hurried to the Dreadnought’s landing bay.

The president was waiting there, along with a platoon of Hornets. Grub One-Two held a sheaf of papers, which Zurg assumed was the surrender agreement. Everything was ready. At a nod from him, the party began boarding the shuttle.

It was a quick journey to Capital Planet. As they descended through the atmosphere, Zurg could see firsthand just how much damage had been inflicted. Smoking craters marred the surface of the planet, sticking out against the formerly pristine land like a pimple would on Vicki Vortex’s forehead. He smiled as he took it all in.

The Alliance Plaza remained untouched, however, and they brought the shuttle down in the centre of it. Zurg remembered a previous visit, when he’d been so close to winning. The president had been seconds away from signing the surrender agreement when Buzz had proven to everyone that Zurg’s planet destroyer was nothing of the sort, and he’d been forced to flee.

_Well, not this time_.

They marched down the ramp of the shuttle. He didn’t bother with ceremony—there was no need to impress the wide-eyed populace with red carpets or dramatic entrances. They’d already had enough fear beaten into them.

A party of Guard Bots met them, led by the tall, thin, soon-to-be-ex-President Taln. The man slithered down the steps of the Senate, pausing hesitantly as they approached. Zurg saw his eyes fall on the president. He was probably still wondering how she was alive.

"Well." Zurg came to a halt in front of him, and decided it was about time _he_ was the centre of attention. "Here I am."

Taln swallowed. "W-welcome to—"

"Oh, let’s not bother with all that—we both know I’m about as welcome here as a Raenok at a birthday party! Shall we get on with it?" He’d wasted enough of his life trying to achieve this moment already.

"Yes. Of course. Right this way, please."

Zurg followed him inside, and they passed solemnly through the great halls of the Senate. Glancing at the president, he saw she was staring around in a daze. He wondered what it was like for her, finally returning home, but not under the circumstances she’d hoped for.

They entered the Senate chamber, and their steps echoed loudly in the huge, magnificent room. Oh, Zurg was going to enjoy redecorating this place in his own style! It was amazing what a good coat of paint and new drapes could do for a room. They tramped up the steps to the podium. All around, seated on the many benches lining the floor, the Senate was arranged. For once, they were quiet.

"Members of the Galactic Senate," Zurg addressed them as he leaned into the microphone. "First, may I say what a pleasure it is to be here at last, and how glad I am you all turned up to witness my inaugural address as your new supreme leader!" There were a few nervous coughs. "I have with me the surrender agreement that _both_ your presidents will be signing, along with a list of demands. There are going to be a few changes around here, and I expect you all to cooperate unquestioningly—IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

He waited for the echo to die away. Long ago he’d discovered the advantages of raising his voice at well-chosen intervals. People who were being screamed at rarely had time to think and were usually quick to comply with your orders. Plus, it was spine-tinglingly fun watching their eyes widen in sudden fear and seeing their knees quake!

"So," he continued with a chuckle, "any questions?"

The senators quickly shook their heads.

"Good. Grub, bring me the treaty!" One-Two rushed over with the papers and a pen, and Zurg took them eagerly. First he handed the pen to Taln, and the man signed it with a shaking hand. Then he passed it to the president. Her eyes blazed with hatred but she signed too, thrusting the pen back into his hand. "Thank you," he sneered. At last it was his turn, and he swiped the pen across the paper with a flourish, leaving behind a large Z as his signature. It was done.

"And so," he announced, holding up the papers proudly, " _ends_ the Galactic Alliance!"

* * *

"Outta my way, outta my way!" Rocket Crockett pushed through the crowded hall, intent upon reaching his destination. People had been flocking to Star Command now that the battle was over, and along with the Rangers there were armed parties of Hornets and Grubs and even a few Brain Pods. _Our new masters_ , Rocket thought bitterly. Right now he didn’t care though. There was only one thing on his mind.

Finally, he reached the infirmary’s doors and barged in, practically shoving a frightened nurse out the way. Medical staff had been called in from all over to deal with the wounded—even Dr. Animus was there, putting his med school training to good use at last and helping out with some of the patients. The room was overflowing with injured Rangers and crewmen from the other Alliance ships, some of them in beds while others were still waiting to be treated. With so many people milling about, Rocket didn’t know where to go. Finally he saw Turner and waved her over.

"Hey," he called, still panting from his sprint through the corridors.

"Rocket." Her blonde hair was a mess. It had fallen out of its ponytail and now lay in springy strands over her face. She brushed some of it back. "Good to see a friendly face."

"Yeah." Taking a deep breath, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen, I heard about what happened to Frank... I’m sorry."

She nodded, but the motion was more like a puppet having its strings tugged than the movement of a real human being.

"Are you okay?" he asked. It wasn’t the question he _wanted_ to ask, but now that he was in the infirmary he found himself stalling, afraid of the truth.

"I don’t know. Is anyone?" The woman’s lips trembled. "Will anyone ever be okay again after all this?"

"Look," he sighed, "you did good out there. And so did Frank. That counts for something."

She scrunched up her face, trying to fight back tears. "Doesn’t make him any less dead. Doesn’t make my fiancé any less missing. Sal was with Kayuga, you know. On one of the cruisers that fled. Cosmos, I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again." Giving in, she began to sob, burying her face in Rocket’s shoulder. He realised he wasn’t going to get the answers he needed out of her.

After a few comforting pats, he let her go and looked around for someone else. He couldn’t see Vok or Blaze or that weirdo Lenny anywhere. _Sprocket doesn’t like it when you call him weird_ , he reminded himself. _Blast, Sprocket, what happened to you? Are you okay? Where are you?_

He saw the twig-like figure of Dr. Animus through the crowd again and pushed forward, reluctantly tapping the man on the shoulder. Animus was hardly the person he wanted to talk to—the shrink gave him the creeps—but at least he was someone familiar. "Hey, Doc."

"Ah, Ranger Crockett," the psychiatrist greeted. "Here to lend a hand as vell, are you?"

Rocket shook his head. "Actually, I’ve got my hands full up on the command deck. Everything’s a mess—we’ve got new ships coming in all the time, everyone’s panicking, and the place is swarming with Zurg’s people." He still couldn’t really process that they’d lost. Soon he’d have to call his wife and make sure she was okay. He’d had his family shipped out to a different solar system the day before, but now practically the whole galaxy was under Zurg’s control and there was nowhere safe for them to go. _At least they weren’t on Capital Planet_ , he thought grimly.

"If you are so busy, zen vhy are you here, hmm?" Animus asked.

He swallowed. "There’s something I gotta know. Is... is..." The words wouldn’t come out. He changed the question. "How many people did we lose out there?"

"Out of ze whole fleet, or just Space Rangers?"

"Space Rangers." Sweet Venus, there was no way he wanted to hear the final death toll. Not now.

"Ve vere lucky," answered the doctor. "If one can call it luck after everyzing zat’s happened. Only two."

Rocket frowned. One would be Frank Brooks, but the other? "Two? Which two?" He found himself grabbing the front of Animus’s jacket, pulling the man to his face. "Who? Tell me, man! Tell me it wasn’t Sprocket!"

"Sprocket?" Animus’s single eyebrow drew down over his eyes in confusion. "Ah, your brother, no, he is fine! He vas injured, but he is in a bed at ze end of ze vard. He vill be fine."

Rocket’s grip relaxed, and he released the smaller man sheepishly. "Sprocket’s okay?"

Animus nodded. "You can go to him. He should vake up soon—his team is vith him right now."

"Thanks." Rocket paused. "So if it’s not Sprocket, who was the other person? Who else did we lose?" The names of various friends slipped through his mind. After twenty years with the Corps, he’d gotten to know everyone pretty well. He couldn’t imagine losing any of them.

"You haven’t heard yet?" Animus shook his head and sighed. "Commander Nebula vas killed in action."

It took great effort for Rocket not to gasp out loud. Of all the names he’d considered, the commander’s hadn’t been one of them. That option simply wasn’t on the table. " _What_? There’s gotta be some kind of mistake!"

Animus continued shaking his head.

_Galaxies, if Nebula is dead and Buzz is MIA, what’s gonna happen to the rest of us?_ He’d been running Star Command while the battle raged above Capital Planet, since his cruiser had been destroyed during the Jo-Ad encounter and someone needed to look after the station, but it wasn’t a position he wanted to occupy full-time. _Then again, for all I know, Zurg might have Star Command dismantled first thing tomorrow morning or something._ Everything was falling apart, wasn’t it?

But Sprocket was still alive. He had that at least. Thanking Animus, he marched to the end of the ward and found Team Vok gathered around one of the beds. Vok was standing stiffly beside the bed, as if he were on guard, while Blaze sat on the floor offering glib remarks to raise their spirits and Lenny clasped a limp hand that hung over the side. Sprocket lay there, so still, eyes closed and only his steady breathing reassuring Rocket he was still alive.

"Hey guys," he greeted the team. It was no secret that he didn’t think too highly of them—he wished his kid brother had ended up on a more prestigious team, instead of stuck with Star Command’s rejects (okay, that wasn’t fair, he chided himself, they weren’t _that_ bad). But Sprocket thought they were the greatest and right now he was willing to let old animosities slide.

Lenny squeaked nervously at his arrival, but Rocket held up his hands soothingly and the team relaxed.

"The doctors say he’ll be on his feet in no time," said Vok, looking down at Sprocket. "He only sustained minor injuries from the blast."

_Thank the cosmos for that_. Rocket nodded. "Has he woken up yet?"

"Nah," answered Blaze. "Still out cold."

Leaning over the bed, Rocket ruffled a hand through Sprocket’s hair, like he used to when they were kids. _As long as I got you and the rest of the family, we’ll be okay, Sprocket._

There was a low groan. The sleeping man stirred, his head rolling to the other side of the pillow. "Sprocket? Can you hear me? Wake up, Sprock," Rocket urged gently. There was another sigh, and this time Sprocket’s eyes opened slowly.

"Sssprocket!" squealed Lenny, squeezing Sprocket’s hand tighter.

"Hey." Rocket patted his brother’s shoulder. "How’re you feeling?"

"Ow. That’s how I feel. Just ow." The kid grinned weakly. "How about you guys? Are you all okay?"

His teammates all nodded. "You know how it is, Sprocket," said Vok. "We always make it out okay in the end, no matter what disaster we find ourselves in."

"That’s good." Exhaling slowly, Sprocket tried to sit up. "Where am I? The infirmary?"

"Yeah. Take it easy there." Rocket eased him back down. "You’ve gotta rest for awhile."

"So what happened?" the kid asked. "Did we win?"

His three teammates looked away, saying nothing. Rocket sighed, patting his brother’s hair again. No matter what the future held, he was going to make sure nothing else happened to the kid. But he wasn’t going to lie to him. "No," he answered.

* * *

"ETA?"

"Twenty minutes, Ranger."

"Gotcha." It was the third time he’d asked. Ty settled back into his pacing. Soon he’d have to tell the refugees—not a task he was looking forward to. They’d come to Tangea to avoid Zurg, but it looked like no one in the galaxy was getting off that easy.

He wasn’t sure if he was surprised by the news of their defeat or if he’d been expecting it. He knew he was pessimistic but he liked to think even he had held out some hope for a victory. Maybe it was just hard for him to be surprised by any bad news anymore. His life had been so full of it already.

_And soon it’ll go from bad to worse_. Zurg was sending a ship to Tangea to install overseers—every planet was getting the same treatment, apparently. Zurg was clearly doing his best to secure his continued dominance over the Alliance. Ty wondered what new rules the overseers would be enforcing. _Probably won’t be long before half the galaxy is slaving away in factories to produce yet more Hornets and ships and weapons._ _What a cheery thought._

He wasn’t sure where he was going to fit into this new empire, but his standing orders were to protect the refugees and that was what he was going to do until he was forced to do otherwise. So he paced around the palace’s landing bay, waiting, while Nova stood beside him with his hands resting on the top of his cane.

"Do stop that, Ranger Parsec." The king’s voice was uncharacteristically sharp.

Ty came to a halt and shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, just nervous."

"I know, I know." Letting out a long sigh, Nova looked around, gazing up warily at the sky. "What will this mean for my people, Ranger? Will they be safe?"

"I dunno." _Wouldn’t bet on it_.

"They won’t like submitting to Zurg. They’ll do it, of course, and half my court will be on their knees grovelling to secure any power they can under the new regime, but the common people will be bristling, and that’s not even getting into how the Grounders will react. Tangeans don’t like change, Ranger Parsec."

"I never would’ve guessed."

The king offered him a wry smile. "I’ll have my work cut out for me keeping everyone in order. That is, if Zurg lets me keep my throne..." He seemed to cringe. "There’s time enough to worry about that later, I suppose. It’s not all that important, in the end. I... what I really need to know is if Mira’s okay..."

Ty nodded. He couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for Nova, not knowing yet if his daughter was alive or dead. He was surprised the man was so calm about it. _Royal training, I guess_.

The whine of an engine broke the silence, but Ty knew at once it wasn’t the ship they were waiting for. Instead, a black shape whizzed up from the surface, eventually materializing into a bike as it came closer. It swooped onto the landing bay, halting a few metres from the two men. Even with the helmet on, Ty quickly recognised the leather-clad figure that jumped down.

"Romac!" he greeted. "What are you doing here?" He noticed Nova’s eyes suddenly bulge and his grip on the cane tighten, and he wondered if the king was going to make a fuss about a Grounder entering the royal palace.

Taking off his helmet, Romac marched straight past Nova, completely ignoring him. "I’m getting off this planet," he told Ty. "Figured I’d come here and advise you to do the same. Get out while you can, Parsec, it’s not safe to be a Ranger anymore."

"I’ve got orders. Someone needs to look after these refugees." The thought of running hadn’t even occurred to him—no matter what had happened back on Capital Planet, duty was duty. How could he look himself in the mirror if he ran away to save his own skin?

"Suit yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you," shrugged Romac. "Zurg can’t be everywhere—I’m gonna find somewhere that’s safe. It’s a big galaxy. You could join me. I’ve seen you in action, you’re pretty good. You, me, and another buddy of mine who’s waiting for me offworld could make a decent living, even with Zurg in power. Interested?"

Ty shook his head. Okay, sure, it was an intriguing offer, but he was still a Ranger, Zurg or no Zurg. "Thanks, but I’m gonna have to pass on that one. You got your line of work, I got mine. But good luck, I hope you can look after yourself out there."

"Always, Ranger." Romac grinned. "Well, if you’re not gonna change your mind, I guess I’m out of here." He took a few steps, then glanced back at King Nova, who still appeared to be silently fuming. "Hey there, Your Highness. It’s been awhile."

"Not long enough."

"Couldn’t agree more. I just want to know—is she okay?"

Ty blinked. He hadn’t known there was any kind of history between those two. How was common Grounder bounty hunter acquainted with the king of Tangea?

Nova’s eyes narrowed and he looked like he was contemplating swiping his cane at the Grounder’s face. "How dare you even speak to me about her, especially at a time like this!"

"I just wanted to know. Believe it or not, you aren’t the only one who cares about her." Romac sat down on his bike, still facing Nova. "Is she okay?"

Who were they talking about? Mira? How did she fit into all this? Ty decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to butt in, but he wished he knew what was going on.

After a long, intense glare at the Grounder, Nova sighed. "I don’t know. I haven’t gotten word yet."

Disappointed, Romac turned away. "I guess I’ll find out sooner or later." He revved the engine loudly. "If Zurg’s hurt her, he’ll pay. You have my word on that."

"I don’t need you or your word," the king spat.

"Suit yourself." Sweeping away in a billow of smoke, Romac raced up through the sky on his bike and was gone.

Ty wondered if he should’ve gone with him. Would he have been better off? _Oh well, back to waiting for Zurg’s forces to arrive, I guess,_ he thought with a sigh. He’d always be stuck doing his duty, wouldn’t he?

Thoughts of a blue-haired girl standing beside Torque nagged at him. _I promised her father I’d bring her back..._ When it came right down to it, no matter how hard he tried, he was really just a failure. _Duty, ha. What good am I going to be to the people here?_

* * *

With the signing over, Zurg left the distribution of his ground forces in the capable hands of One-Two for a moment and ascended the spiral staircase of the Alliance Senate. It wove its way through the elegantly-styled building, leading higher and higher, until it eventually reached the top floor. Orange light was spilling through the tall panels of glass that slanted across the side of the Senate. The sun was setting on the Galactic Alliance forever.

He stepped softly across the room, coming to a halt inches away from the glass. Placing his hands on the marble window ledge, he swept his gaze over the darkening city. The red that bathed it was not all a product of the setting sun; he could see smoke pluming up in the distance where a few fires still burned. The whole city smelled of ash. It was a good smell, reminding him of the furnaces burning back in the factories on Planet Z.

_Soon I’ll have this whole city remade in my image._ No, not the whole city—the whole planet. The whole universe!

It was all his now.


	30. Chapter 29

Brain Pod 17 nodded to himself, reading the orders that were being relayed through his datapad. He was careful to tilt the screen away from any prying eyes.

_Understood,_ he wrote back. Spinning around on his wheels, he surveyed the bridge with a smile. Everything had gone so well—this had been his project, and it was through months of careful preparation on his part that Zurg had won. Not that he was likely to receive any thank yous, of course. At most, he might be made employee of the month and get the good parking spot in Landing Bay 3. And even that was only a maybe—he could tell Zurg’s personal assistant was gunning for the top spot too. But he was a scientist, and his satisfaction didn’t come from awards or honours, even if a few wouldn’t hurt. No, his reward was knowing he’d done his job well. He could look upon his project with pride, a project that had now reached its successful conclusion.

His eyes shifted to Prisoner 42. Yes sir, he’d done the impossible—he’d kept Buzz Lightyear of all people on a leash and made him do the emperor’s bidding. Zurg had done the initial work of "breaking" him, though the Brain Pod wasn’t really convinced the prisoner was anything close to broken in, but it was he, 17, who had kept him under control. The shock collar was delightfully simple and effective method of containment, and one he’d relished devising. The only thing more fun was actually using it. He and Zurg had had a bit of game with it when they first put it on the prisoner. They’d taken turns shocking him and watching as he writhed around on the cell floor and yelled curses at them, until finally Zurg got bored and they’d stopped. From then on it was used strictly for corrective purposes.

The prisoner had tried to remove it several times, but 17 had ensured it was virtually unbreakable, and the only way to unlock it was to transmit a special code on a specific frequency. Only he and Zurg knew the code. It was amusing though, seeing Lightyear claw at the metal and practically strangle himself in his efforts to get it off.

_I’m going to miss this job,_ 17 thought. Soon it would be back to the same old boring experiments in the lab on Planet Z. A few mutations here, a new torture device there. Just routine stuff that could be assigned to anyone. Maybe he could persuade Zurg to give him another special mission—surely there was plenty of exciting work to be done in this brand new empire of theirs?

"Alright, people!" he announced. "We’re going to touch down outside the Galactic Senate. Zurg wants to congratulate you all personally on a job well done!"

"Does he now?" Lightyear rolled his eyes.

The rest of the crew appeared slightly more excited. "Are we gonna get our money now?" asked a Vulturan, one of the mercenaries Zurg had hired.

"Most likely. You’ll have to take that up with Zurg, not me," the Brain Pod shrugged, holding back a snigger. _You’re all going to die._ He turned to Warp. "Take us down, Agent Darkmatter."

Warp took a seat at the helm, glancing over his shoulder several times at the man sitting behind him. He still seemed unnerved by the presence of Lightyear’s double. _Well, he won’t have to worry about him for much longer_.

17 suppressed a frown. It was a small thing, but he couldn’t help being just a tiny bit insulted that Zurg wasn’t letting _him_ take care of the prisoner himself. It was _his_ project, and after such a satisfactory fulfilment he deserved the honour of terminating it. Oh, he knew Zurg and Lightyear were star-crossed arch enemies or something like that, but this wasn’t even Zurg’s Buzz! Why couldn’t the emperor kill the main one and leave this alternate version to him? 17 felt there was something beautifully symmetrical about the idea—after all, it had been _his_ briefing on alternate universes that had led Zurg to enter the portal and bring the evil Lightyear back in the first place. It was only fitting that he should see the affair to its conclusion.

There was no arguing with evil emperors though, was there? They were like children. Always insisting on having their own way and keeping the best toys to themselves. He tutted and returned his attention to the datapad.

* * *

"Brent Starkisser here, reporting LIVE from the former Alliance Plaza—now the Imperial Plaza of Zurg’s newly-formed galactic empire." Adjusting the blue gem on his neck that hid his microphone, Brent Starkisser gestured to the Senate building behind him. "It’s been a tough day for citizens of the Galactic Alliance like you and me, but now our worries are over! Dry those eyes, folks, because Emperor Zurg has promised many new and revolutionary reforms for the galaxy and assures us we will all be living much better lives under his rule! Among these changes are spy drones that will patrol the streets day and night, watching every little thing you do and ensuring all of us are safe from troublemakers who might try to subvert this fantastic new regime! There will also be Hornets on guard around the clock, so if trouble does break out, they’ll be there to handle it! Remember, if you see someone who you suspect of being a traitor to the empire, don’t hesitate to report them to your nearest Hornet, Grub, or Brain Pod!" After a second’s pause for breath, the newsman continued, "And, as if that wasn’t incredible enough, there will also be guaranteed work for every citizen of the empire. That’s right, say goodbye to unemployment forever! Tired of being forced into retirement? Unable to apply for jobs because of those pesky child labour laws? Not a problem anymore, thanks to Zurg! Now everyone from the smallest infant to the oldest grandparent can enjoy the pleasures of manual labour!"

The glib words and the fixed smile came easily after so many years of practice. Brent was surprised to find he was so good he’d almost sold himself on the whole thing. The key was to be as bubbly and charming as ever and pretend there wasn’t still smoke rising from downtown Capital City and people weren’t being rounded up by Hornets for ignoring the curfew. The public was gullible, they’d listen to their faithful newsreader and believe him if he said things were going to be great, right? It wasn’t as if it were any more of a lie than the usual stuff he read.

The important thing was that he still had his job. The first thing he’d done when word of the surrender came in was to rush over to the Senate and offer his services to Zurg. Some people might call it "selling out your planet" or whatever, but he saw it as being opportunistic. Zurg had won, so what sense was there in fighting it? If you couldn’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, as the old saying went.

He stared into the hovercamera and widened his dazzling smile slightly. "Tonight we are gathered around the Plaza to witness the swift justice system of our new empire at work as Zurg prepares to carry out sentences on those who committed war crimes during the heated conflicted that took place earlier today. Not only will he be executing one of the former Galactic Alliance’s captains, who deliberately left several people to die during the skirmish, but Zurg has even generously offered to execute those from his own side who bombed the surface of our world. This unprecedented act of goodwill is just one of the many signs that Capital Planet is about to enter a new golden age of justice and equality!" It was also a smart way to get rid of potential threats and appease any rebellious factions that might be outraged by the planetary bombardment, but he wasn’t about to say that on air. Brent was impressed—Zurg played the game far better than the politicians in the Senate. As for the unfortunate Captain Astri, well, Brent had heard he’d been on one of the lead ships attacking the Dreadnought, and Zurg wasn’t known for his forgiving nature. It was likely the man’s execution had far more to do with scratching the Dreadnought’s paint than it did with leaving people to die.

"And look, here comes the first prisoner now!" Brent directed the camera to a pair of Hornets dragging a struggling Tangean up the steps of the Senate. There was a shining aura around Astri, but he couldn’t escape the robots’ grip. _Ghost-proof plating_ , thought Brent. The captain’s powers weren’t much good now.

With a creak, the doors of the Senate swung open, pushed by a pair of Grubs, and the imposing figure of the Evil Emperor Zurg stepped through, his eyes glowing red in the darkness of the night. A stray moth was drawn to them and circled the emperor’s face before being swatted out of existence.

"Zurg himself has just appeared!" Brent zoomed in on the emperor, choosing an angle that made him seem even taller and more sinister. If he was going to be a media puppet he was going to do the job right.

"Let me go!" Astri was shouting. "I’m a member of one of Tangea’s oldest noble families! I don’t deserve to be treated in this manner!"

Zurg chuckled, and Brent felt his neck prickle with goosebumps. "You think I care about your precious status? You think I care about Tangean nobility?" He stepped closer, circling the protesting man. "You know what, Captain? The only thing that matters to me is that I don’t like you. Do you know how much you’ve cost me in damages to my ship? You also did quite a number on the rest of my fleet..."

"It was my job! I’m a military commander! Buzz Lightyear caused you far more trouble than I ever did, you know!"

A brief grimace came over Zurg’s face, then he sneered again. "And if he were here, he would be awaiting execution right beside you!"

"What’s the matter, couldn’t catch him?"

_Astri isn’t doing himself any favours_ , thought Brent. If there was one person you didn’t provoke, it was Zurg.

"It’s only a matter of time before Lightyear falls too," Zurg answered coldly. "But for now, it’s your turn. Hornets!"

The two robots raised their arms.

"Ready... aim..."

"No! Please!" Astri continued to struggle. "You can’t do this!"

"FIRE!"

Both Hornets fired at once, and a brief flash of green filled Brent’s vision. The sight that replaced it made him stumble back, turning his head and trying not to be sick. He’d seen the aftermath of a lot of tragedies, but he’d never seen someone killed right in front of him before. His hand went over his mouth and he had to fight down the rising nausea in his stomach.

_And this is just the first execution..._ Suddenly he wasn’t so sure if he wanted to cover this event anymore.

* * *

Warp had never thought he’d be able to return to Capital Planet safely again. He remembered the little apartment he used to have about a mile from where Buzz lived. It hadn’t really been his style—too modest, definitely not the best pad to bring girls to—so in the early days he’d spent a lot of his time at Buzz’s place, drinking mugs of strong coffee made by old Nana Lightyear and shooting the breeze with his partner. Then, once he had enough money saved up, he’d bought a proper place out in a secluded sector of space. The house alone had cost a pretty penny, and the moon set him back several years’ salary—luckily he had a rather lucrative secondary source of income and could afford it. He couldn’t invite anyone over, however, because his colleagues would realise at once he could never have bought it on what he made as a Ranger. From then on, he would slip away to his new home whenever possible, though in the cold winter months he still found himself driving to Buzz’s and enjoying a hot cup of joe.

But once he joined Zurg full time, he’d left all that behind him. Capital Planet ceased being anything more than the headquarters of his enemies. He’d been back a few times, but always on some Zurg-appointed mission. It occurred to him that he could now walk the streets without fear, maybe even revisit all his old hangouts. He could do anything he wanted. Heck, instead of worrying that someone might turn him in, he could make them salute him as he walked by. A whole new world was dawning.

The landing struts of the raiding ship kissed the ground, setting down beside Zurg’s private shuttle. The silhouette of the Galactic Senate loomed above them. "Okay, folks, we’re here," Warp announced.

"Good, good!" 17 wiggled his robotic hands. "Everyone to the hatch! Let’s not keep the emperor waiting!"

The crew began leaving their stations. The other Lightyear—the prisoner—remained where he sat.

17 frowned at him. "Come along, move it, no time to dawdle!"

"I know what’s going to happen, Pod." The man didn’t rise, casually clasping his hands together instead. "When we step off this ship, we’re all going to be killed."

Warp found himself discreetly transforming his metal hand into a blaster. It felt like a paranoid gesture, but something in the prisoner’s voice made him edgy.

"Well of course you’re going to be killed. Do you think Emperor Zurg is stupid enough to let you live?" 17 shrugged. "Now hurry up, there’s no need to drag it out. It won’t help, you know!"

"What’ll you do if I don’t?"

The Brain Pod lifted a remote. "Haven’t you learned the answer by now?" With a gleeful expression, he pressed the button and the collar around the prisoner’s neck buzzed with electricity.

Crying out in pain, Lightyear fell from his chair and staggered across the floor. "Alright, alright, I’m going," he snarled.

"Good, glad we understand each other!" 17 chirped back. "That’s it, move along! you too, Warp."

Warp rose and followed after them, still feeling uneasy.

When they reached the hatch, most of the crew had already disembarked and were waiting outside. "A squad of Hornets will be along momentarily to escort us safely to the emperor," said 17, wheeling down the ramp. "And then I’m sure you’ll all receive your payment from Zurg. Once he’s finished with you, the rest of your fleet can come down and he’ll settle things with them too. Zurg really appreciates everything you’ve done for his empire."

"Zurg’s a crater-fucking loser in a stupid dress."

Everyone fell silent, staring at Lightyear nervously. People just didn’t say things like that about Zurg—not unless they wanted to get themselves vaporised. Warp licked his lips and waited for 17 to react, deciding it wasn’t his place to say anything. He didn’t want to get involved.

The Brain Pod wheeled right up to the prisoner, looking him straight in the eye without so much as flinching—he had guts, Warp would give him that—and jabbed a metal finger in his face. " _What_ did you just say?"

"Hard of hearing, Pod? I said Zurg’s—"

"I know what you said!" 17 waved a fist. "How dare you speak of our illustrious emperor that way! Why, if it weren’t for Zurg, you’d still be rotting in that slave camp on Beta Bayou!"

Lightyear’s gaze became venomous. "If it weren’t for that idiot interfering in things he didn’t understand, I would still be ruler of my own universe!"

"Alright, that’s it!" 17 pressed the button on the remote. "If you want to make things difficult for yourself, go right ahead!"

_I really don’t like this._ Warp watched the prisoner double over and grasp at his neck once again as the electricity surged through him.

"I’m gonna rip your eyes out, you filthy little brain," snapped Lightyear when the pain finally ceased.

"Sure, sure, tough guy." 17 folded his arms. "Just shut up and keep walking. Where are those Hornets, anyway? Zurg’s going to be furious if we aren’t on time."

Lightyear hauled himself to his feet and stepped closer to 17. The Brain Pod still didn’t flinch. "Let the purple screwball wait. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not doing anything you tell me to ever again."

Sighing, 17 raised the remote. "Do you really enjoy pain so much? Very well." He shocked him for a third time and Lightyear fell to his knees, screaming even louder than before. "The voltage will increase every time you disobey me. Eventually it’ll reach lethal levels. Still sure you want to ignore my orders?"

Warp glanced at the rest of the crew. They were all staring with a certain fascinated horror at the spectacle. None were intervening on Lightyear’s behalf, however. Warp decided they weren’t going to be any trouble. But as for Lightyear and 17... _Oh this just stinks so bad._ He could see a look of glee in the brain’s eyes as he held his finger down on the button. He _wanted_ the prisoner to resist. And Lightyear... he was definitely in extreme pain, but the defiant glare hadn’t left his face. Something felt very wrong. _Ugh, what do I do, should I step in? Why can’t the Hornets get here already so we can just get this all over with?_

"Had enough yet?"

Lightyear staggered forward, grabbing the side of the ramp and using it to pull himself up. His legs were shaking. "You know what, Pod? You’re pathetic. You and Zurg. You know _nothing_ about torture. Oh, what I could teach you... AHHH!" He fell down as the collar lit up again.

"I think I know enough!" the Brain Pod tittered.

He released the button and Lightyear remained on the ground, panting. His face was red and glistening with sweat. Warp wondered how much longer he could hold out. Maybe Zurg would have one less execution to perform.

"Let me tell you a... a story, Pod," the man gasped, struggling to get the words out. "Back in my world, things were a lot like here. Zurg had... had his own evil empire. And... Star Command defended the... the Galactic Alliance. All just like this universe. But... you know... what?" He raised himself up so he was looking straight at 17. "I defeated them all."

"Well, bravo to you. But here there is no Galactic Alliance anymore and you’re a prisoner of _our_ Zurg. I guess not everything is the same in this universe."

"You’re... right," he said, still grimacing with pain. "But Zurg’s... not the key factor here... that makes all the difference. I am. The universes... diverge... around me."

"So what?" 17 tsked. "Oh, get up already! Zurg is going to be so ticked off that we kept him waiting this long!" When Lightyear didn’t respond, he held up the remote. "Again? My, my, someone’s a masochist!" He pressed the button.

Something felt out of place for a moment, and then Warp realised what it was. Everything was silent. There was no scream of pain.

At last there was a long, rasping laugh from the man on the ground. "Took you long enough!" he called out.

17 frowned. "What’s going on? I don’t understand." He tried pushing the button again.

"Oh, Pod." There was a blur of movement—Warp never could’ve envisioned the gasping prisoner being able to move so fast—and suddenly Lightyear’s hands were around 17's robotic neck. "I told you this would happen, didn’t I?"

Warp quickly raised his arm, aiming the gun hand at the prisoner’s head. "Alright, that’s enough!" At last he could take control of the situation. "Don’t move or I’ll—"

He felt the blow from behind, but it happened so suddenly he didn’t have time to register any pain. One second he was facing down Lightyear, the next he was face-down in the dirt. He tried to get up, but everything felt wrong. His body wouldn’t cooperate. Putting in all the strength he had, he tried to push himself up. He dropped back down with a gasp of agony. The pain came down on him hard now. It felt like his back was on fire. Every movement sent sharp aches shooting through his body, all emanating from a point near his spine. Turning his head over his shoulder as carefully as he could, he tried to see what had happened. He felt his jaw drop open in horror. There was a laser knife sticking out the back of his suit, blood welling up around its hilt. It had pierced the thick armour like it wasn’t even there.

One of the mercenaries—he couldn’t tell which, his vision was starting to blur—drew the knife out and laughed, kicking him in the stomach. Warp spat out blood.

"Lightyear, my man!" Someone strode towards the group, followed by a shorter figure. Warp couldn’t make out their faces, but he recognised the voice.

"You’re late, Torque." Lightyear still grasped 17's neck, caressing a hand over the brain’s bowl.

"Sorry, had a little Hornet trouble to take care of, but here we are, baby! Hope we didn’t miss all the fun!"

Warp tried to focus on what was happening, but he could hear his own heartbeat throbbing in his head. It was going so fast and eclipsing everything around him. The taste of blood lingered in his mouth. He fought to keep his eyes open.

"Not at all. Nice work on the collar."

"Kid’s stuff." This third voice belonged to the person standing beside Torque, but Warp didn’t recognise it. It sounded feminine. "Just a matter of intercepting the signal and blocking it."

"How about getting the thing off?" Lightyear raised a hand to his neck and tugged at the collar.

The short figure stepped closer, and Warp could see now that she was a girl, probably late teens. "No problem. I isolated the frequency while I was jamming it—should only take me a second." Holding up a device, she entered in some sort of code and pressed a button. There was a click and collar fell away from Lightyear’s neck.

"Good work. You know, I think I like you, kid." The man grinned, which was somehow even more unnerving than his usual cold smile, and he patted the girl on the shoulder. Then his attention returned to the Brain Pod. "Now, what are we going to do with you?

"Let me go!" 17 squeaked. "You’ll be in big trouble with Zurg if you don’t stop this at once! Darkmatter, do something! Help!"

Warp tried to lift his head, but it hurt too much. He was beginning to wonder if there was any point in keeping his eyes open. It didn’t seem worth the effort, and sleep sounded so good right now...

"Darkmatter!"

It occurred to him that he should use his gun, but he couldn’t find the strength to raise his arm. Besides, he was surrounded by the crew of mercenaries. What chance did he have of fighting them all off?

"Don’t expect any help from him, Pod," gloated Lightyear. All trace of the subservience he had once feigned was now gone from his bearing. He held his head up proudly, openly arrogant and defiant. He seemed to have forgotten the pain of the collar already. "Now, remind me again of all the things I’d planned to do to you..."

"Please! Betraying Zurg is suicide! He owns the whole galaxy now! Let me go!"

"No." With a sharp, crunching twist, Lightyear broke the Brain Pod’s neck in two. He let the metal body drop to the ground and raised the head in his hand. "Alas, poor 17..."

"Please, Lightyear," the brain whimpered, "don’t hurt me!"

The grin widened. "Do you really think I’m going to show any mercy on _you_? I’m not like that pathetic Buzz you know. Oh, no, like I said, I’m the divergence point. You won’t get any justice or compassion from me." With sudden force he smashed the glass dome against the side of the ship, letting the water spill out onto the ground. He dropped the metal head and it fell with a hard clunk. Warp could see a blurry pink form trying to scuttle out from the glass fragments.

"Not so fast, Pod." Lightyear’s foot came down. The impact of the boot made a strange squishing sound. "No one locks up Buzz Lightyear."

Warp finally let his eyes slide closed. There was nothing else he could do.

"Come on, let’s get out of here," he heard Lightyear say.

Footsteps echoed on the metal ramp. Someone kicked him in the ribs as they went past—he wasn’t sure who. He didn’t bother opening his eyes. Better to let them think he was dead. Maybe soon he would be.

* * *

Zurg listened to the nervous Grub’s story in silence, only the tightening of his fists betraying his emotions.

"So you’re saying they GOT AWAY?" he demanded when the creature had finished.

It nodded weakly. "I-I’m sorry, O Evil One."

_No... No! This can’t be happening!_ "ALL OF THEM?"

"Y-yes."

"Why didn’t my fleet do anything to stop them?"

The Grub gulped. "They... they didn’t know there was anything wrong. They thought the other fleet was following your orders."

"You think I would let them leave?!"

"Well..."

"And what of Darkmatter? And Brain Pod 17?"

"Agent Darkmatter was found stabbed through the back at the landing site," the Grub coughed. "He has been taken to the nearest medical facility. The doctors don’t know yet if he will survive. Brain Pod 17 is dead."

_I never should’ve trusted them to handle Lightyear. I should’ve done it personally._ He couldn’t believe it—he finally had control of the galaxy, everything he’d ever dreamed of—but Buzz Lightyear had escaped his grasp twice over. "I want him found!" he bellowed. "Both of them—this one and the real one! This cannot go on any longer!"


	31. Chapter 30

"Wake up, Booster, we’re here."

It had been a long night of travelling. Buzz hadn’t even told the other Rangers where they were going, he’d just ordered the other four cruisers to follow his lead. As the night progressed, Booster had begun to succumb to the weariness that his adrenaline had been keeping at bay. Finally, Buzz told him to get some rest, and Booster trudged down to the tiny crew quarters that Team Lightyear rarely used. The rooms weren’t built for comfort, but they were a step up from the guest quarters, which consisted of several cells in the brig.

Sleep had come surprisingly easy. Now that he was waking up, Booster began to feel a little guilty. Not many people had the luxury of waking up as free citizens that day. _And a lot of people won’t wake up at all_. His ears dropped down sadly. He still couldn’t believe XR and Mira were gone. The worst part was that it had all been for nothing.

"Come on, Booster, rise and shine."

Buzz was shaking him awake. His voice was gentle and falsely bright. Booster knew what he was doing—putting on a brave face for his sake. But it would take a lot more than that to lift his spirits.

"I’m awake," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. The sleep had helped a little, but he still felt tired. The dark circles under his captain’s eyes told him Buzz hadn’t slept at all.

"Good. We’re here."

Rolling off the hard bunk and onto his feet, Booster followed Buzz out the room and wondered where "here" was. _Boy, I’m hungry,_ he realised. How many days’ rations did they have aboard the cruiser?

"This way, Booster." Buzz led him to the airlock. "We’ve landed."

"Huh? On what planet?"

"See for yourself." Opening the airlock, Buzz stepped aside so he could look out.

Booster put a hand on the side of the wall and leaned forward. A blue sky greeted him, light and cloudless and holding two glowing yellow suns. Stretching out beneath the cruiser were rows upon rows of crops, covering earthy fields that rolled over gentle hills and seeming to go on forever. Nearby stood several tall, ornately-painted silos. A breeze brought with it all the familiar farmy smells he’d grown up with, and Booster felt his lips wobbling. "Jo-Ad!"

It felt like a lifetime had passed since he’d last seen it. He rushed down the ladder, dropping to the ground and taking a deep breath of the fresh air. All around him tall bunzel plants were swaying softly in the wind, their leaves rustling together. He wanted to run through them like he used to when he was a child. He wanted to dash through the fields and drop, laughing, on the doorstep of the farmhouse and wait for Ma to come out with a tray of hot bunzel scones.

There was a thud as Buzz jumped down from the ladder behind him. "Welcome home, Booster," he said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, Buzz!" He grabbed him and squeezed him in a tight hug. "I never thought I’d see it again!"

"Whoa there, Ranger." Easing himself out of Booster’s arms, Buzz gestured to the nearby farm. "Come on, let’s go find your folks."

Booster realised where he was. This wasn’t just Jo-Ad, this was _home_. His farm! He hadn’t quite taken it in at first, too overwhelmed by simply being on his own planet again. "Ma and Pa!" he shouted, running across the dirt ground and kicking up dust.

His big strides took him quickly over the fields and he reached the farmhouse door, grinning at the familiar age-worn wood as he swung it open. Even the creak it made was a welcoming sound that brought him back to his childhood. "Ma! Pa!"

The only reply was his own echo. Booster slowly entered the dim building, frowning at the sight of a thin layer of dust on all the furniture. The ever-present smell of cooking had faded from the house. Everything was still and quiet. "Ma? Pa?" Still no answer. His joy evaporated.

Buzz’s footsteps on the wood floor echoed behind him. "Anyone home?" he asked Booster, his voice now hushed.

Booster shook his head. His throat felt tight. "No. It... it doesn’t look like anyone’s been here for awhile..."

There were flakes of ash on the floor, along with items strewn loosely where they’d fallen from their shelves. Shards of crockery littered the kitchen. Out one of the open windows Booster suddenly noticed a distant blackened field, and he realised the smell of smoke still clung to everything. He hugged his arms around himself. "Buzz, what happened to them?"

"I don’t know." His captain was stroking his chin, which now carried a day’s worth of stubble, and he cast his eyes away from Booster. "I’m sorry... I thought they’d be here."

"They should be! They wouldn’t leave the farm!" An army of Hornets wouldn’t have been able to drag his parents away from their home. _Not alive, anyway_. He gulped and hugged himself tighter.

"Let’s look around," said Buzz. "Maybe we’ll find something."

They searched the house, but it was empty and clearly had been for several days. Next they checked the barns, where they made a startling discovery. The remains of six Hornets lay amongst the straw, broken beyond repair. Booster couldn’t help feeling a surge of pride—his family had taken out six of Zurg’s robots on their own. But the pride was quickly replaced by fear. Had there been more Hornets, and had his family finally lost the battle and been taken off to some prison camp... or worse?

There was nothing else in the barn, so they left, startling a flock of rabbits that were munching the grass outside. The bunnies flapped and squawked at them, moving off to the other side of the field. They looked scrawny—Ma never would’ve let them get so thin. She used to feed them scraps from the kitchen. In the distance, Booster could see a few moozles grazing, but they’d all escaped their corral.

"Let’s check out the burned field." Buzz strode on ahead. "Looks like one of Zurg’s ships came down here." He pointed to scraps of half-melted metal that were scattered across the fields. On a few of them the purple paint was still visible.

Booster followed his captain up a hill, and the smoky-ashy smell grew stronger as they neared the blackened earth. Only the bare ground of the firebreaks that Pa had conscientiously put around the field had kept the blaze from spreading to the rest of the farm. Booster couldn’t bear to even think about finding his home in smoldering ruins.

They reached the top of the hill and could survey the crater where the ship had crashed. The burned-out wreckage of the vessel still lay there, half-buried. It had been rammed into the ground when it crashed. It was more a shell than anything else—the outer hull had been ripped away by the explosion—but some of the interior still appeared intact. Debris and broken rock had been blasted everywhere. Everything around the ship was scorched.

Buzz slid down the side of the crater, little stone chips tumbling away behind his feet. Booster followed. "Do you think any Hornets survived the crash?" he whispered.

"Unlikely," answered Buzz, shaking his head. "Seems quiet as the grave..."

"Hold it right there!"

There was the sound of a gun being cocked. The two Rangers spun around, finding themselves staring down the three barrels at the end of a Hornet’s arm. It was stretching out from the shadows, where a figure stood in the ship’s dark interior.

"We come in peace," Buzz said automatically, raising his hands in the air.

"Wait... Captain Lightyear? Booster?"

Booster recognised the voice. "Pa!" He shoved past Buzz and flung his arms around the shadowed figure, ignoring the raised Hornet gun. "Pa, it’s you! You’re alive!"

"Booster!" The older man hugged his son tightly. "Oh, it’s good to see you, boy!"

"Greetings, Mr. Munchapper." Buzz stepped forward, putting a hand on Pa’s shoulder when Booster let him go. "Sorry if we startled you."

"Nah, I’m sorry for pointing this at you." Chuckling, Pa put the gun aside. "Well, don’t just stand there—come on in! Ma will want to see you! And so will Gramps and Buster!"

Booster’s heart leaped. "They’re all here? They’re okay?"

"Sure are!"

The trio marched into the wreckage of the ship. Pa led them down a blackened corridor, past walls that were patched by old planks and ceilings held up by wooden beams that looked like they’d once been fence posts. At last they reached a central room that appeared to have housed Hornets at one point, but was now converted into simple living quarters. Sheets were strung up to divide the room into multiple spaces, and a heating conduit stood in a corner with a pot bubbling on it. Several crates were arranged as chairs around a larger crate that served as a table. There were clothes drying on a line at the far end of the room. Booster’s eyes swept over all this and fell on the woman who stood stirring the pot, clearly in charge if this humble little abode. His gaze then moved on to the old man sitting at the table, and the younger man sweeping the floor with a worn-out broom. His mouth split open into the widest smile he could manage.

"Ma! Gramps! Buster!" He burst through the doorway and rushed to his mother. "I’m so glad you’re all okay! I’ve missed you!"

Ma dropped her spoon. "Boostie!" Her arms were around him before he’d even stopped running and she was gripping him so hard he wondered if she’d ever let go. "My little Boostie’s come home!"

"Good to see you Munchappers are holding out alright," said Buzz.

"Yeah," nodded Pa. "Takes more than a few Hornets to scare us away!"

Booster freed himself from his mother and sat down next to his grandfather, hugging him too and grinning at Buster. Then he turned back to his parents. "What are you guys doing up here though? Why aren’t you at the farmhouse?"

"It’s not safe there, youngster," said Gramps. "Too many Hornet patrols come through that way."

Ma nodded. "They’re always checking on all the farms, keeping everyone in line. Sometimes people get taken off and never seen again, ‘specially if they cause any trouble."

"Probably would’ve taken us after what we did to the first patrol," said Pa. "But we hid out here when we saw the second lot coming. We’ve been staying here ever since. We go to the farm for supplies sometimes, when no one’s around, but it’s still not safe there. The Hornet’s don’t seem convinced the place is abandoned."

"We have to get you out of here," fretted Booster. "Maybe we can take you somewhere safe."

Ma shook her head. "Nah, we’re toughies, son—you know that! We can see this through. You’ve got to worry about yourself and the rest of the galaxy."

"Yeah," agreed Pa. He paused. "So what are you going to do? We... we heard about what happened at Capital Planet on the radio. Is it true?"

Buzz sighed. "I’m afraid it is. But don’t you worry, we’re not gonna let Zurg get away with this. I’ve got 42 and Booster here and four more ships hidden in orbit, and together we’re going to put a stop to this or my name isn’t Buzz Lightyear!"

"Hot doodah!" Pa clapped his hands together. "See, Ma, I told you the Rangers wouldn’t be beaten! So five ships got away, huh?"

"Affirmative. I was hoping for us to land here and get everything in order before our next move. My people are tired and we have a lot damage that needs repairing." Buzz frowned. "Unfortunately, if Hornets are on patrol, then we need to get 42 off the ground again as soon as possible. I want details on all the enemy activity in this region—hopefully we can coordinate some kind of system for vessels to land, take on new supplies, and leave before they’re spotted. It won’t be as good as us all regrouping together on the planet, but it’ll give us a decent respite."

"You got it, Ranger Lightyear!"

"We’ll help in any way we can," agreed Buster, speaking up for the first time. "Anything you need, just tell us."

Booster looked at his family proudly—they were all so eager to do their part. His heart felt fit to burst with love for them. He still couldn’t believe they were all alive and safe. _It’s a miracle!_

"So," said Pa, "where are the other two? XR and Mira?"

* * *

It was cold in the cell. Mira wondered if the environmental controls had been damaged along with everything else on the Dreadnought, or if Zurg just wanted his prisoners to shiver. Either way, she was glad of her warm Ranger suit. The wrist laser had been deactivated, and the Grub that had accompanied her to the cell had assured her the walls were ghost-proof. But it didn’t matter—where could she escape to? All she could do was sit quietly on the bunk and wait.

_This is it, isn’t it?_

It was the end of everything. Her team was shattered—Buzz and Booster were gone, and XR had been blasted into a million pieces. Zurg was in control of Capital Planet. The entire Galactic Alliance had bent the knee to him. There was nothing left.

She hugged her knees to her chest and sobbed into them. She cried for everything that had happened, for everything that would happen, for her father who she wished was there to hold her, and even for her mother who’d been dead so long she couldn’t even remember the sound of her voice. She didn’t stop crying until there was a pounding on the metal door.

"Who’s there?" she shouted.

"It’s me!" She recognised the Grub’s cheerful voice. It belonged to the one who’d captured them after they’d freed the president.

"Go away!"

"Evil Emperor Zurg has sent for you! I’ve come to escort you to the Imperial Plaza!"

_Imperial Plaza, ha. Figures._ She wiped her eyes and ran a hand through her hair, trying to gather her thoughts. "Why should I bother? What’s the point? Just go away!"

"It’s not wise to disregard the emperor’s wishes..."

Mira sighed. She was past caring about what Zurg was going to do to her. But then she thought of everyone else, and of XR most of all. If she was to have any chance of getting him rebuilt, she had to play along. "Fine, I’m coming!" she snapped.

The Dreadnought was already in Capital Planet’s atmosphere, so it was only a short shuttle trip to the Plaza. Her escort consisted of the Grub and several Hornets, but she ignored all of them. Escape still wasn’t on her mind.

When they entered the Senate, it was clear remodelling was already underway. The old carpets were being stripped out, as were all the fixtures bearing the seal of the Galactic Alliance. Giant yellow Zs were being fitted in their places. She saw workbots hauling in pots of purple paint. Apparently _this_ was a bigger priority for Zurg than rebuilding all the cities he’d just destroyed.

She was led to one of the large offices at the top of the building, and inside she found Zurg waiting for her, reclining in a huge leather chair. He looked slightly uncomfortable in it—she wondered how long it would be before he replaced it with some kind of throne. That was more his style. With the imposing desk in front of him and all the office furnishings though, he looked vaguely like some sort of CEO from hell, minus a business suit. The CEO from hell part was basically true, she realised with a frown, glancing at the little Grub that bowed to Zurg and left the room.

Zurg leaned forward when she entered. "Ah, Ranger Nova—do sit down." His fingers flicked towards a chair.

Mira remained standing. "What do you want, Zurg?"

"What, no small talk?" He pretended to be offended. "Aren’t you even going to tell me you like what I’ve done with the place? Granted, it’s still a work in progress, but—"

"Just get to the point!" It was probably the wrong tone to take with him, but Mira realised her patience level was at zero. There was a time when she could listen to him ramble on in his smug way with only minor annoyance. Now she could barely stand the sight of him.

"Touchy." Zurg seemed willing to let her rudeness slide. "I have a proposition for you, Ranger."

She folded her arms. "What?"

Zurg rose, stepping away from the chair. "How would you like to sit in that?"

"Huh?"

"That’s my offer—control over the whole Galactic Senate." He paused for effect. "You see, the galaxy is without a president, Ranger Nova. One of them is dead—perhaps not in body, but certainly in spirit—and the other is too weak to maintain order. I need someone strong in power, someone who can manage the Senate, the public, and everything else in this miserable alliance I’ve conquered. Preferably someone capable of dealing with Star Command as well, and who knows a thing or two about government." He smiled. "I can’t think of a better candidate."

She blinked at him. "You... you want _me_ to..."

"...run the Galactic Alliance. Well, _former_ Galactic Alliance. It’s a part of my empire now, but there’s too much work here for me to handle alone. I have to look at the big picture. You, on the other hand, can deal with the day-to-day running of the operation. I need someone I know—someone reliable—and frankly, none of my lackeys fit the bill." He shrugged. "I was thinking of Darkmatter, but he’s had an unfortunate... accident... which puts him out of the running."

"But... but _me_?"

"You’re very capable in difficult situations, as you so irritatingly proved when you rammed my ship, and you’re the daughter of a king—you grew up with politics. It’s a perfect fit."

"But—"

"And," he added, "I know your weakness—it’s one Buzz Lightyear himself would be proud of. You care too much about other people. Someone else in this position might get ambitious and try to usurp my authority or work to undermine my empire, but you wouldn’t dare, because you’ll be too busy protecting your precious Galactic Alliance citizens."

"And what happens if I do fail you in some way?"

"Oh, you’ll be killed of course."

She looked around the big office, staring at the chair Zurg held out to her. All her life she’d known she was going to be a queen, though she didn’t always like to think about it, but she’d never dreamed of overseeing the whole galaxy...

...or being Zurg’s underling.

That thought alone made her want to slam her fist down on the desk and refuse. She knew dozens of politicians and other self-seekers were probably lining up to jump in bed with the new regime to save their own skins, but she wasn’t going to be one of them. _Not ever!_ Zurg could do what he liked to her—she was never going to be his lackey. Maybe the president herself had sold out to Zurg, but someone had to have some damn standards around there!

"Do you think," she said slowly, "that I would  _ever_ work for you?"

"Oh, but you will," Zurg laughed. "You’re forgetting that I hold one very important card—XR, your robotic friend."

She swallowed. "What have you done with him?"

"He’s safely stowed in one of the labs, just waiting to be rebuilt—but only if you agree to my terms. If not, we’ll use him for scrap... or maybe just have him incinerated. Recycling is a bit too hippy for my tastes."

Clenching her fists, Mira stared down at the emperor. "Don’t you dare! Leave XR out of this!"

"Do I have your agreement?"

_Screw you_. "I don’t know anything about running an empire!"

"Well, neither did I , and look at me now!" He chuckled. "Besides, lucky for you, we offer free on-the-job training—just one of the many perks of working for my evil organisation! Now, is it a deal?"

She sighed. All her choices had gone out the window the moment he mentioned XR—standards or no standards, she couldn’t let her friend down. It was her fault he’d gotten into this mess. "I can’t say no, can I, huh?"

"No, you can’t," Zurg agreed, sticking out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Ranger Nova."

* * *

It was a quiet meal they’d sat down to. Some of the initial excitement Booster had felt upon reuniting with his family had faded when he and Buzz recounted everything that had happened the day before. Especially the part about Mira and XR. He’d even cried a bit on Ma’s shoulder. She’d just patted his back and soothed him as best she could, but even she looked tearful. Now they were finishing up their bunzel soup, with barely a word spoken between the six of them.

"Good meal," said Buzz, wiping his mouth.

Ma nodded. No one said anything else.

Buzz turned to Pa. "So... about those Hornet patrols..."

Looking relieved at having something concrete to talk about, Pa launched into a detailed description of the Hornets’ day-to-day movements. Apparently they came through every morning and every evening, precisely on schedule, though sometimes they showed up at random times with a Grub or Brain Pod in tow for a surprise inspection.

"Hey."

Booster looked up. Buster had come to sit beside him. "Hi," he returned.

He’d missed his old friend. There was time when the two of them had been inseparable—as a kid he couldn’t have even imagined joining Star Command without Buster at his side. It was funny how things changed. But they were still friends—that would always be the same.

"Uh, so, Boost..." Buster cleared his throat awkwardly. "Look, I’m real sorry about everything that’s happened..."

"You don’t have to be—it’s not your fault." He patted his friend’s hand.

"I know, not... not this time." Buster looked away. "But I did work for Zurg once. Gosh, Booster, I helped him in one of his schemes and I almost got you killed! I don’t deserve to be safe now when so many people aren’t."

Booster understood how he felt. "It’s okay. No one cares about what you did that one time. You’re part of the family, Buster! That’s all ancient history."

"I just... I just want to help. If there’s anything I can do..."

"You’re already doing a great job! You’re looking after Ma and Pa and Gramps." Booster looked wistfully at his family. "I wish I could stay here and do that. If I didn’t know you were here to protect them, I don’t think I’d be able to leave."

A wry chuckle escaped Buster’s lips. "I guess that’s who I am, isn’t it? I always thought I was going to be a Ranger and go out saving the galaxy, like you do. But I’m the one who stays home and takes care of things, huh?"

"Doesn’t mean you’re not a hero too..."

"Yeah." Buster smiled. "It’s okay. I think... I think I like staying here. I guess I’m not cut out to be a Ranger, but I can grow a pretty good crop of beans and I know how to work a tractor—that counts for something right? It’s good enough for me, anyway." He glanced at the other Munchappers. "I’ll make sure nothing happens to your family, Boost."

"Thanks, Buster." He squeezed his friend’s shoulder. "You’re the best."

They sat together for awhile, letting silence fill the space between them. Then Gramps shoved one of the cloth partitions aside and dragged out a rusted old radio. "Gather round, kiddos!" he called. "Almost time for the midday news!"

They all grouped around the radio. "This is our contact with the outside world," said Pa. "We salvaged it from one of the barns—must’ve been there at least twenty years. Good thing too, ‘cause one of the newer models might be picked up on a technology scan." He patted the battered casing of the device. "Ah, nothing like old-fashioned Jo-Adian engineering, eh?"

Gramps tuned the dials, going through a great deal of static before finally hitting upon the CPN broadcast. As the static cleared, Brent Starkisser’s smooth tones sounded through the old speakers.

"...reports are still coming in from the bombed out areas of Capital City, telling of looting and other criminal acts. However, Evil Emperor Zurg has dispatched a special squad of Hornets and Brain Pods to deal with the issue and he’s even given his _personal_ assurance that everything will be A-okay in no time! With his patrols on the streets, crime will soon be a thing of the past!"

Buzz rolled his eyes. "Looks like the media was quick to switch allegiances. Do they expect anyone to believe this garbage?"

"I don’t think anyone has a choice," sighed Ma.

"And finally," continued Brent’s voice, "Zurg has appointed a new governor to oversee the running of all the worlds formerly belonging to the Galactic Alliance. Our previous two presidents have both been relieved of power, and Governor Nova will be taking their place. That’s right, you heard it here first! Former Space Ranger Mira Nova—also heir to the Tangean throne—will be assuming control of the Galactic Senate, and answering straight to the evil emperor himself!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the radio. Brent was now going on about something else, but his words were lost on them.

"It... it can’t be." Buzz’s eyes were wide with disbelief. "Mira’s..."

"Alive!" Leaping from his chair, Booster grabbed Buzz and lifted him into the air, dancing about the room. "Mira’s alive! Oh, Buzz, she’s alive! And that means XR probably is too! This is the best day ever!"

* * *

Returning to Star Command had been an unusual homecoming, to say the least. Her colleagues were surprised but pleased to see her alive, and Mira had even gotten a hug from long-time nemesis Rocket Crockett. They were less pleased to see the Grubs and Brain Pods that accompanied her, however.

She’d insisted XR be rebuilt on Star Command rather than the Dreadnought, and Zurg had finally agreed. The little robot deserved to wake up somewhere safe. So now they were in the lab, with XR’s components laid out on a table and an array of Grubs, Brain Pods, and LGMs working on him. The LGMs were keeping very much to themselves, eyeing Zurg’s minions suspiciously. Mira suspected they would’ve preferred to work alone, and she couldn’t blame them. But Zurg had put his own people in charge of Star Command’s science division.

Standing out of their way, Mira watched the proceedings. She patted the cylindrical metal head of the short bot next to her. "It’ll be okay, XL."

"I dunno, man," he mumbled. "Who’s gonna tell XR about Pop?"

"I’ll handle that." _Craters, he won’t take that well._ She herself had reacted with shock to the news.

XL dropped his gaze to the floor. "This whole thing stinks!"

"I know."

"Why couldn’t you Rangers do something? You were supposed to stop Zurg!"

"We did our best, XL, believe me..."

"You always stopped him before! You always stopped me!"

She sighed. "It was different this time."

"Well it shouldn’ta been!" The robot folded his arms. "Now... now look what’s happened!"

"We’ll fix it. I don’t know how, but we’re going to fix it, XL. I promise."

"Governor Nova!" one of the Brain Pods called. "The subject is ready for reactivation!"

_Finally_. Mira rushed to the table. XL was right behind her. Now fully assembled, XR lay stretched across the surface, his optics still dead and his chest open with wires sticking out. She reached out to touch the glass of his dome. "Turn him on," she ordered.

One of the LGMs flipped a switch, and power ran through the wires that connected to his circuitry. There was an electrical buzz and then the sound of motors whirring to life. XR’s eyes flashed a few times and then the familiar yellow light was restored to them. He groaned and sat up. "Boy, what a nap."

"XR!" Mira beamed. "How do you feel? Are you okay?"

"Eh, nothing a weekend on Mahambas VI wouldn’t cure." The little robot looked around. "So what’s going on? Hey, what’s with the Brain Pods?"

Taking a deep breath, Mira put a hand on his shoulder. "XR... I don’t have good news for you."


	32. Chapter 31

He was running. He couldn’t remember why, but he knew he had to keep going. His two legs burned across the rocky ground. Each breath he drew increased the pain in his chest.

He had to watch his steps as he bounded over large crags and crevasses that threatened to send him sprawling onto the sharp, gravelly surface. If he tripped now, it was all over. Glancing down, he realised he was holding a blaster. His grip on it was tight, and the handle had practically become a part of his hand. It felt like it belonged there.

Panting, he held out his arms to steady himself as he skidded down a rocky incline. He could hear footsteps behind him now. _I mustn’t let it catch me!_ Funny thing was, he still couldn’t remember who or what was chasing him...

He didn’t have long to wait to find out. Looking over his shoulder, he glimpsed the angular, tusked features of a snarling Raenok as it reached the top of the hill behind him. Increasing his speed, he pushed onwards, his heart pounding. He’d heard how the Raenoks tortured their prisoners, and there was no way in blue blazes he was going to let himself be caught!

The Raenok was now charging down the incline, using gravity to increase its already impressive gait.

_I’m not going to make it!_ He could already feel his strength flagging. He was the fittest member of his unit, but all the training in the universe wouldn’t be enough to match a Raenok warrior. They were made of muscle, even the women and children, and he’d heard rumours of them being able to march for days without food or water and still tear apart their enemies in battle.

If flight wasn’t going to work, then he only had one other option—fight. Diving behind a rock, he rolled onto his knees and brought up the blaster. The Raenok was still coming, roaring its head off in the thrill of the hunt like some kind of animal. Some of the guys in his unit said the Raenoks were more animal than sentient anyway.

He steadied the gun on top of the rock, trying to get a fix on the rapidly-approaching target. He’d only get one good shot. Calculating, he took aim and carefully squeezed the trigger, bracing himself for the recoil.

But it never came. Instead, he suddenly found himself running again. But now the rocks were gone, and he was dashing over red sand. Dust billowed up with every step. It was choking. Up above, huge dark storm clouds were stirring together in an ominous sky. He could feel the electricity in the air.

There was an electricity running through him too, a thrill which hadn’t been there before. He realised what it was—he wasn’t the one being hunted this time. He was the hunter. He gripped the blaster tighter.

Pausing, he scanned the vast wasteland for his prey. It was hiding there somewhere, he was sure of it—only he couldn’t remember what it was.

His eyes caught a hint of movement behind a sand dune. "Aha!" He charged forward, raising the gun and shoving his feet through the deep sand they kept sinking into. "Got you now, you freaks!" But just as he was about to round the dune he collapsed, tasting sand as he hit the ground.

He tried to get up, kicking and thrashing and coughing more dust into his throat. He couldn’t move. Looking around for something to pull himself up with, he saw only miles and miles of filthy, choking sand. "For galaxy’s sake!" He twisted his head over his shoulder to see what was stopping him from getting up. He was able to get a glimpse of his legs.

Except only one of them was there.

He screamed. The other leg was missing, reduced to a bloody stump around the knee. It flailed helplessly when he tried to kick. He could feel panic rising up inside him.

_No no NO NO NONONO WHAT HAVE THOSE FREAKS DONE TO ME WHAT—_

"What makes you think it’s their fault?"

He whipped his head the other way to see who had spoken in that accusing, robotic voice. There was an eerie figure looking down at him, rusted and warped. The glass helmet held a web of cracks, and a single eye shone in the darkness.

"What do you want?" he bellowed. "Did you do this?"

"Nah." The figure laughed. As it emerged from the gloom, he could make out a mocking red face. The large yellow eye was dim and kept flickering, and the other, smaller one seemed dead. "All this is _your_ fault, old man! Time to stop blaming everyone else and accept it!"

"Shut up and help me!" He struggled in the dirt some more. "Help me up, you tin can!"

"Why should I, huh?" The robot folded its arms. He could see paint flaking off from them as they rubbed together.

"‘Cause if you don’t, I’ll die out here!" He didn’t want to die alone in the dust with only this strange robotic apparition for company.

"So what? Why should I care, man? You killed _me_!"

"What are you talking about? I’ve never seen you before in my life!"

"Oh yeah? Getting pretty forgetful in your old age, huh, _Dad_?"

"Don’t call me that!" He tried to find his blaster. It had slipped from his grasp when he fell. "I don’t have any kids, and if I did they certainly wouldn’t be made of metal, you hunk of trash!"

The robot sneered at him. "We never were good enough for you, were we, Pops?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about! You’ve blown a circuit, you crazy machine!" It was becoming increasingly clear he wasn’t going to get any help from this individual.

"Don’t you remember anything? Not even my name?"

"I don’t even know why I’m on this blasted planet! How in blazes am I supposed to know who you are?"

The robot circled around him. "Uh-huh, I see, so you don’t remember me at all—real flattering. That’s family for you. What about the mission, huh? Do ya remember _that_?"

"What mission? You mean the one that landed me here?" Did the robot know who he was supposed to be hunting?

"No, not that one, you moron! The one that got you _killed_!"

"Killed? Huh? What are you on about now, you looney piece of space garbage?"

"Oh, sorry!" The robot gasped in mock apology. "Did I forget to mention that you’re dead?"

"Yeah, and I suppose you’re an angel, huh?"

"Don’t you remember the explosion?"

"Explosion? What...?" An image flashed through his mind—a bomb, a blast wave heading for him, a pair of doors he had to get through—and he shuddered. "You’re lying!"

"Hey, why would I lie, old man?"

Why did the robot keep calling him old man? He was one of the youngest members of his unit! "I dunno, I dunno what you’re even doing here in the first place! If you’re not gonna help then beat it!"

"Aw, come on, Daaad! Whatever happened to that old saying—the one about misery and company?" The robot grinned, the large eye flickering and almost going dead. "Why can’t we share our special little hell together? Or am I still not good enough?"

His hands finally closed around the gun he’d been looking for. "I’ll show you what you’re good enough for!" he gasped, raising the blaster. The robot screamed and started retreating. "Get back here so I can deactivate you again! Permanently!" Again? Why did he say again?

"No, Pop, please!" The scorn had dropped from its voice and now it was pleading. "I didn’t mean to do anything wrong!"

"All you’re good for is scrap, you lousy bucket of bolts!" Pulling himself forward with his hands, he levelled the blaster along a mound of sand and aimed it at the fleeing robot. His finger began to squeeze the trigger.

"Pleeease, man! Please don’t—"

He pressed the trigger down and waited for the recoil.

It never came. His eyes opened. He was sweaty and winded and his throat hurt. All around him was darkness. Only the faint outlines of walls were visible, illuminated by the glow of his suit. He was lying on something hard.

Nebula sat up. His body was still shaking and there was a pounding in his head like the techno beat XR liked to play when he held unauthorised dance parties in the science bay.

_XR._

There was something reassuring about remembering the little bot’s name. "XR," he repeated out loud. "XR and XL." Why were they the first two people to come to mind? He flinched a little as he thought of XL. Something felt all wrong.

"Hello?" he called into the darkness. "Anyone home?"

His voice echoed in the empty chamber. There was no answering shout. He fumbled in the dark until he found the right switch on his suit, and a small flashlight emerged from a compartment in his chest armour. Flicking it on, he swept it over the room. Shadows danced on the walls as the beam passed by, but all he illuminated were blank stone surfaces and floating dust motes. There were tattered old cobwebs hanging from the ceiling.

"Ugh." He shifted from where he was sitting. It seemed to be a stone block, serving as some kind of bench or table. Not the most comfortable of accommodations, especially when you had a killer backache.

Coughing at the dust his movements had stirred up, he circled around the room. His steps echoed loudly in the silence. "Hello?"

The flashlight lit up a doorway. It stood at the opposite end of the room, and seemed to lead into some kind of passage. Nebula shrugged to himself and started down it. It was a very narrow opening, and the passage didn’t widen out much as he went down it. He found himself stooping at certain sections. The light of the flashlight was weak and didn’t reach the end of the tunnel, surrendering to blackness after several feet, so he had no idea how much farther the passage stretched on.

Grunting as he was forced to shuffle under a particularly low section of ceiling, Nebula began to wonder if he was still dreaming. How could he have gotten to wherever this was? The last thing he remembered was facing certain death.

_Maybe XL was right. Maybe this is hell._ He was beginning to think a few cackling devils with pitchforks would’ve been easier to deal with. The low ceilings really weren’t doing his aching back any favours.

The light finally reached the end of the tunnel—a stone wall, and an opening at the side where the passage branched off in a different direction. Nebula turned the corner and carried on. He held the flashlight in one hand and traced the other along the stonework. It looked old—incredibly old. The kind of thing you expected to find in crumbling tombs at archaeological digs. There was no sign that anyone had been there in centuries.

_Well this sure ain’t no picnic_ , he thought as he rounded another corner and the passage continued on with no sign of ending. _Just my luck to survive the blast wave of a bomb and then spend the rest of my days trapped in a stinkin’ maze that goes on to infinity and beyond._

Pausing to catch his breath, he raised his arm and opened the communicator flap. He scowled. "Craters!" The systems all seemed to be dead. He tapped the screen but it stayed black. "Stupid computer!"

He had no choice but to carry on. As he progressed, he found the walls were growing less dusty and some of them looked like they’d been repaired in places. Maybe he was finally getting somewhere.

Turning another corner, he was pleased to discover the passage had widened. The walls were also no longer unadorned, and his flashlight lit up a line of simple geometric patterns etched into the stone. When he took a few steps forward, the beam shone over a flight of steps leading up. There was some kind of twining script written at the base, but he couldn’t read it. Whatever it said, it was a sign that he was getting closer to civilisation.

Nebula sprinted up the steps, his pegleg clomping loudly on the glazed stone. The staircase seemed to stretch on forever, and above he could only see more darkness. _At least I don’t have to stoop anymore._

At last he reached the top. He emerged into what appeared to be another chamber of sorts, only bigger than the one he’d woken up in. It was also empty, but he saw a pair of tall metal doors at the end. They were scratched and dented with age, but didn’t look as old as everything else. He marched up to them and tried pushing them open. Nothing happened.

Scratching his chin, Nebula swung the flashlight over the walls around the doors. There was more twirly writing, but it was just as alien to him as the previous text, so he ignored it. Instead, he focused his attention on the large round button his torch had picked out. "Hmm." He placed his palm on the button and pushed it in.

There was an agonised creaking, and dust dislodged from the ceiling, falling in shining waves through the flashlight’s beam. Then he heard metal scraping over stone and saw the two doors begin to part. They pushed open slowly, revealing another chamber. Only this one wasn’t shrouded in darkness. A soft, warm light flooded through the entrance, rendering Nebula’s flashlight redundant. He switched it off and stepped through.

Inside he found himself staring at rows and rows of wooden shelves, all lined against the walls of the chamber. They housed an eclectic mix of books, scrolls, and data discs, some of them covered in inches of dust while others looked like they’d come straight out the local bookstore. The room smelled musty, but it was a strangely pleasant smell. In the centre was an orange orb, floating above a pedestal and casting light and warmth throughout the room. There were stone benches arranged around it, lower to the ground than looked comfortable. On one of them sat a figure.

The figure was hunched over a scroll, holding it gently while tiny flakes of the brittle parchment drifted to the floor. Finally, they looked up. A black visor covered their face, attached to an angular helmet that could have housed the head of any number of species. The person wore matching black body armour, with ornate designs twisting over the chest plating. The shoulders, gauntlets, and knee guards all ended in sharp curves that looked like they could slice a finger off. It was a warrior’s dress, but when the figure turned, Nebula could see them struggling slightly under the weight of it all. They didn’t move like someone ready to spring into action.

"Hello," he said, after they had both stared at each other for a long moment.

"I see you are awake." The voice was heavily filtered by the helmet, but it sounded feminine. "I did not expect you to find your way out of the labyrinth so quickly, or I would’ve been there to greet you. How do you feel?"

Nebula wondered if he should raise his wrist laser. He didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot, but his gut instinct was to be wary of this person. "Who are you? What is this place?"

"This is the library," she—he was sure it was a woman—answered. "And I saved your life."

"Uh-huh."

"What’s the last thing you remember?"

He shrugged. "The bomb going off."

"Good. Then you will also remember that you were about to die. I saved you."

"What are you looking for? A thank you?"

"My empress always used to say that a little gratitude made the stars shine brighter." She shrugged. "But no, I do not require your thanks. Come, sit down. You will still be feeling unwell, I’m sure."

He frowned. "What did you do to me, lady? I wanna know what’s going on around here!"

"I didn’t do anything. You are just feeling the effects of the matter displacer—teleportation is tricky thing, and best used seldomly on organic life. But the dizziness and headaches will pass. My apologies if you suffered any hallucinations—some people do, apparently, and I am sure it is not a pleasant experience."

_You don’t know the half of it._ Nebula scrutinised her more closely. _Matter displacer. Hmm._ Matter transport technology wasn’t exactly common—even Star Command had been forced to put their experiments on hold after a few risky complications. "Who are you?"

"No one you would know."

Her evasive answers were starting to get on his nerves. Nebula stomped forward. "Look here, I’m Commander Nebula, head of the Space Ranger Corps, and I demand you—"

She was on her feet far quicker than he would’ve expected, the gloved hands suddenly gripping his throat and forcing him to his knees. He could hear her raspy, strained breathing, but she was powerful enough to hold him down in spite of the way he was struggling. Her hands remained clamped around his neck, shaking slightly. "You will demand _nothing_ of me, Space Ranger."

She let go and he gasped for breath. Maybe it was time to get less friendly. "Oh yeah?" he panted, whipping his arm up.

"Do you think I would allow you to keep a working laser?" The woman laughed. "It doesn’t have enough power to shoot down an insect."

He wondered if she was bluffing, then thought back to his dead communicator and let his arm drop. _Guess I’ll have to play things your way for now._ There was still his pegleg cannon—he was willing to bet she hadn’t thought the drain the power from that—but he didn’t want to show all his cards just yet. "What do you want with me?" he asked.

"There will be time enough for talk later." She sat back down. "Are you hungry?"

"What?"

"I can have food sent down to us. It is plain, but good once you’re used to it."

"I’d rather have answers." Though now that she mentioned it, he was feeling a bit peckish.

She picked up the scroll again. "You must learn patience."

_This is getting nowhere_. "Look, am I a prisoner here or what?"

"You are... in my debt, we shall say. I saved your life. Now you owe me your loyalty."

_Fat chance, lady._ Grunting, he took the bench opposite hers. "So, this place—you said it was some kind of library?"

"It is a repository of the ages."

"Uh-huh." He glanced around. "If you aren’t going to give me a decent answer, I think I’ll have that food now."

Reaching forward, she pressed a hand against the glowing orb and it flashed brighter for a moment. "Your meal is on its way."

Nebula squinted at the orb. "What did you do? What is that thing?"

"A remnant of a time long passed, and very rare."

"You stink at explanations, lady."

She chuckled. "It is a sphere of psytronium—a telepathic mineral."

"A what?"

"It boosts innate telepathic abilities. By touching it, I can send out a thought to someone nearby. Try it—you can project all the angry things you’re thinking into my mind."

Nebula shook his head quickly. "I don’t trust any of that telepathic hoohah."

"As you wish. But consider yourself privileged to have seen this much psytronium in one place—it’s one of the rarest elements in the universe. It is only found in the centres of a few comets, and much of it that once existed is believed lost. There are people who would sell their very souls for this sphere."

He yawned. "Yeah, well, I’d rather have a nice desk lamp myself. Lights up a room better."

"And yet, I think you would not. If your people knew the true powers of this mineral..."

There was a metallic woosh as one of the doors opened. Nebula looked up. A short figure emerged from a dark corridor, carrying something on a tray. As the figure entered the light of the orb, Nebula’s eyebrows shot up.

"Here is your meeeal." The Little Green Man placed the tray on one of the benches, bowing to the woman. He was dressed in the simple blue uniform all LGMs wore, and looked exactly like the tiny scientists Nebula worked with every day.

"Hold on there," the commander called as the LGM was about to depart. "What in blazes is going on here? What’s one of you green beans doing in this place?"

The little alien shrugged. "We live here," it replied simply.                   

"What, you mean you’re like those... ElfGMs or whatever they’re called... that work for that guy Buzz says is Santa Claus?" He’d never really been able to wrap his brain around that one, but Buzz _had_ filed a serious report on the matter and Buzz wasn’t known for flights of fancy, except where Zurg was concerned, and even then he often turned out to be right.

"Nooo." The LGM chuckled. "This is hooome." It walked out, leaving Nebula to scratch his head while the woman lifted the lid from the tray.

"Zeblal soup," she said, offering him a steaming bowl. "One acquires a taste for it. The zeblal roots are plain, so I like to slip in a few spices. A good thing I had some on my ship, for you will find little in the way of flavour on this world."

He grabbed the bowl she offered and slammed it back down on the tray. There was a long, metallic echo. "And what world is that, hmm? I’m tired of this dance—I wanna know what’s going on and I wanna know now!"

She looked at him for awhile—or at least, he _assumed_ she was looking at him. It was hard to tell with that impenetrable black visor hiding her face. "Perhaps we have spent enough time in the library for now," she answered at last, putting down her scroll and rising. "Take your bowl. We will eat elsewhere."

Something in her tone made him obey, and he picked up the tray and followed her out. She walked stiffly, and he could hear the creaking of the heavy armour as it loaded her down. There was no denying her strength—he could still feel the bruises around his neck—but she was like a boulder on the edge of a cliff. Powerful, but easily tipped over the edge. If they were to get into a one-on-one fight with no weapons involved, his endurance would pull him through if he could avoid getting beaten to a pulp in the first few minutes. _Hopefully it won’t come to that_ , he thought.

They wandered down another dark, narrow corridor, with a beam on her helmet lighting the way. After passing up several flights of stairs and manevouring through numerous twists and turns, they finally came to a second set of doors. The woman opened them and they emerged into a brightly-lit chamber that dwarfed all the previous ones. Here the stone walls were painted red and covered in a few simple geometric patterns, resembling the ones in the catacombs. The ceiling curved up like the inside of a dome, with some sort of hatch at the top. Two vast pillars supported the whole structure. What caught Nebula’s attention though was the large platform in the middle of the floor.

It was unremarkable in itself, but hovering effortlessly above it was a gleaming yellow sphere, much like the one in the library, only many times bigger. Green swirls of light dazzled across the surface of the orb, and a shimmering green ring encircled it like a ring around a planet. Even Nebula was forced to stop for a moment and admire its beauty. It almost seemed to sing to him, a wordless melody that stirred up emotions he couldn’t put his finger on. He wasn’t sure he liked it.

"The Uni-mind," he breathed.

The woman nodded. "Now do you see where we are?"

Turning away from the glimmering sphere, Nebula faced her. "Why’ve you brought me here?"

"I have business on this world. And I have business with you. Logically, you should both be in the same place so I can conduct that business more easily."

"You’re really starting to tick me off, you know." He jabbed a finger in her face. "WHO ARE YOU?!"

That shout should’ve worked on anyone—softer bellows than that had sent even the stubbornest rookies running for their mothers and made more than a few politicians quake in their tax-bought designer shoes—but she didn’t appear to flinch. "I have been many things," she said. "Some of them I try to forget. The last thing I was, before I left my people, was the Xlgta—the voice of the council." She shrugged. "There is no council here. I don’t know what I am now. My empress’s warrior again, perhaps, or her friend, late as it is for that..."

Jeez, did this woman ever give a clear answer on anything? "Okay," he ground his teeth together, "and who’s this empress you keep talking about? What planet are you from?"

"My empress is dead. My planet is unimportant. Everything it was died with her—only one spark remains, and I am here to save it before it burns too bright and goes out." She put her hands on her hips. "And you are going to help me."

"Oh really?" He matched her posture. "And what is this ‘spark’ of yours?"

"His name is Zurg."


	33. Chapter 32

"Look, I know it’s short notice, but Evil Emperor Zurg says he wants the statue by next Tuesday." Mira pulled the vidphone away from her ear as an angry tirade poured through it. "Yes, I know you can’t rush art, and if it were up to me, I’d give you all the time in the universe, but Zurg says it _has_ to be Tuesday. And the statue has to be twenty feet tall and hand-sculpted. So either you get it done on time or he’ll be serving you on shish kebab skewers at the next banquet! Got it?" She slammed the phone down.

_One more thing taken care of. What’s next?_

It was easy to see why Zurg hadn’t wanted her job. This was her second day and she seemed to have spent all of it cooped up in the office, dealing with obstinate people on the phone or signing authorisation forms for all the upgrades the Grubs were doing to the Plaza. She’d tried to prioritise arranging repairs for the damaged parts of the city and temporary housing for everyone who had been displaced, but there was always some new trivial matter taking her attention away from the real issues. Now Zurg was insisting on a statue of himself to go outside the Senate between the two pools that adorned the centre of the Plaza.

_Ugh._ She dropped her head into her hands. _So much for doing some good_. All she was now was Zurg’s errand girl. She’d already started threatening people to get his will done. That same uncomfortable feeling she got when she had dirt stuck under her fingernails tugged at her now and wouldn’t leave her alone. _I don’t want to do this._ She looked up through the window.

_Buzz, where are you?_

At least he was still out there, somewhere, with Booster at his side. Maybe there was still hope.

The door burst open. "Quick, sign this!" A Grub rushed in, carrying some papers on a clipboard. "Requisition form for the new fittings on level two!"

With a sigh, Mira took her pen and scribbled a quick signature. It struck her as odd that Zurg bothered with all this procedure when he could easily do what he liked. Why did he have his employees running around with hundreds of forms to fill out if they were the ones in power? _I guess bureaucracy’s one of the universal constants,_ she thought wearily. At least, as annoying as it was, it provided some order amidst the chaos—one solid thing to cling to in a sea of uncertainty. "Here you go," she said, handing the papers back to the Grub.

It thanked her and headed out. "Don’t forget your Senate meeting at 2 PM, Governor!" it called.

_Oh boy._ She slumped back in her chair. _Will it ever end?_

* * *

"No, no, no! The floral arrangements go _there_ , in the centre! You incompetent, woolly-headed, snivelling little lackwits!" Zurg threw up his hands. "The centre! How hard is that to understand?"

The grovelling mess of Grubs scattered, hurriedly rearranging the vases containing brilliant masses of flowers which had been freshly harvested from Rhizome. "We live to serve, O Evil One!"

Putting his hands on his hips, Zurg stood back to survey the changes. "Yes, much better. No, wait, a little to the left. There. Perfect." He rubbed his hands together. "Now, how goes the catering?"

"Cosmo is already on his way!"

"Good, good. Have all the invitations been sent out? And to the _right_ addresses this time? I’m not having a repeat of last year’s office party incident! And remember, Rentwhistle Swack is _not_ on the guest list, so if he turns up this evening, show him out the back door with extreme prejudice!"

The minions nodded, and Zurg circled around the room to inspect the rest of the decorations. Oh, there was nothing like a party! This was going to be the best one he’d ever thrown—a housewarming party to end all housewarming parties! He was sparing no expense. They were breaking out the good silverware and the finest Tangean wine.

He loved planning spectacles. None of his lackeys had the flair for it—they didn’t know how to arrange the displays for best effect or the right way to light a room. He couldn’t leave it up to them. He was grateful he had Mira Nova to handle all the affairs of state while he focused on the _really_ important things.

One-Two entered the large dining room, winding between the tables that were layed out across the floor until he reached the emperor. Zurg looked down at him. "Yes?"

The Grub bowed. "A report has just come in from the ships you sent out."

"And?" Zurg held his breath.

"They followed the alternate Lightyear’s ion trail for several parsecs, but finally lost it inside a nebula. They couldn’t pick it up again."

He let the breath out and tightened his fists. "So, that’s it? They’ve accomplished nothing?"

"Afraid so, Your Malignance."

_I need to find him. Both of them._ One Buzz Lightyear running loose was bad enough, but two didn’t bear thinking about! _Bah, and just when I was having a good time._ In a way, the party had been a distraction, a way to avoid thinking about this one loose thread he still hadn’t snipped off yet. "Tell them to keep looking," he ordered One-Two. "Scour the quadrant for any kind of lead! Buzz Lightyear is out there somewhere!"

"As you command, O Vile One!"

With that out of the way, Zurg turned back to the preparations. Yes, a party was what he needed. "Watch out with that ice sculpture!" he called to a pair of Grubs, as they wheeled in a glassy blue effigy of himself. "And tell the Brain Pods to start setting up the fireworks display outside!"

* * *

It was nearly 2 PM. Mira surveyed her reflection in the smudged mirror that filled the wall above the sinks in the bathroom. She wondered if the bags under her eyes would ever go away. At least no one was likely to care, though she still wanted to look her best. It was her first big meeting with the Senate. _Lucky me_.

The day before, when she’d taken the job, she’d worn her Ranger uniform. She would’ve continued to wear it, but Zurg had objected. "You’re not a Ranger anymore," he’d sneered. She stiffened her back. _I’ll always be a Space Ranger. No one’s been able to take that away from me yet, and I’m certainly not going to let Zurg be the first._ But she knew she had to pick her battles carefully, so she’d decided to let him win this one and was now wearing a plain red skirt with a matching jacket. _I look like someone’s secretary,_ she thought grimly. _Or worse, a politician. Which I guess I am now..._

Wiping her face with a damp towel, she decided she was ready to face the Galactic Senate. It was their first session since Zurg’s takeover. She hoped it would go well.

In the hall, she met one of the Grubs that had been assigned to her personal staff—she didn’t know which one it was, because, much to her embarrassment, she couldn’t tell any of them apart—and it escorted her to the Senate chamber.

When they entered, she winced at the sight that greeted her. Gone was the cheerful yellow that used to gleam off the walls. In its place was a stark grey that made the room seem several times smaller and stuffier, despite the high ceiling and the enormous windows. Even the lighting had been dimmed, because apparently Zurg thought a few stubbed toes in the dark were a necessary sacrifice in the pursuit of the perfect evil ambience. Mira rolled her eyes. At least he’d kept the beautiful glass window panels that made the Senate so distinctive, though the flags that used to hang above the podium had been replaced with purple banners bearing Zurg’s insignia.

Taln was standing at the podium now—he’d been reduced to vice governor, though he didn’t seem too bothered by this drop in status. If anything, he was grateful not to be the one answering straight to Zurg. She couldn’t blame him. Mira ascended the steps to the platform and joined him.

"Ah, Rang— Governor Nova," greeted the ex-president. "The Senate is fully assembled, awaiting your address."

"Right, um, okay." She wasn’t quite sure what to do. As a young girl, she’d sometimes attended her father’s sessions with the Tangean royal court as preparation for when she one day assumed the throne, but she’d always gotten bored after the first ten minutes and snuck out when no one was looking—something she suspected her father would’ve gladly done too if he’d had the luxury. "Uh, let’s get started then..."

* * *

"Do you think this makes me look fat? Be honest." Zurg twisted around in front of the mirror, frowning and pulling the dinner jacket tighter.

"Not a bit, Evil Emperor!" One-Two was as overly enthusiastic as ever, which led Zurg to believe the Grub would’ve been just as gushy if he’d come out wearing a clown suit. "It’s a perfect fit!"

The emperor nodded absently. "Good, excellent. Put it in my closet. I’ll wear it at the banquet tonight." Pulling off the jacket and handing it to his assistant, he paced around the room. He’d set up personal quarters in the Alliance Plaza Ambassador Hotel, naturally nabbing the best suite for himself and letting the rest of his staff squabble amongst themselves for the remaining rooms. It was merely a temporary residence, of course—once he’d stabilised this new part of his empire, he could return to the homey dreariness of Planet Z and rule from there.

He’d only been away from his planet a short time, but already he found himself missing it. He was in contact every day with the staff he’d left in charge at the palace, but he longed to plant his feet in the blood-coloured sands again and hear the rumbling of distant thunder. _Ah, home sweet home._

"Is there anything else you require of me?" One-Two asked.

"No, no, I think that’s it for now," Zurg dismissed him.

"Great! Can I go visit the prisoner?"

"But hasn’t she already had her lunch?"

One-Two nodded. "Yeah, but I just want to see her again. I like asking her stuff about Capital Planet—it’s so interesting!"

"We’re _on_ Capital Planet now, you ninny! You can find out anything you want firsthand!"

"Oh, yeah!" The Grub seemed to realise this for the first time. "Then can I go look around, huh? Please, O Iniquitous One?"

"Oh... very well. But don’t get into any trouble!" Zurg warned. "And make sure you’re back here an hour before the banquet starts!"

"As you command!" One-Two’s face was alight with glee as he rushed out the room.

"And don’t talk to strangers! Mind how you cross the street!" Zurg called after him, suddenly imagining just how much trouble one foolish little Grub could get into on its own. "Be sure to take a sweater if it’s chilly out there!"

Now alone, he dropped into one of the well-padded sofas that looked out towards the open balcony, and he let out a sigh. Time seemed to tick by slowly. He glanced around the room. There was a small bar to his left, which appeared to be stocked better than most liquor stores; apparently the political line of work had its perks. Personally, Zurg wasn’t a fan of strong drink. Aside from clouding the mind, it left a nasty burning aftertaste that made him too hoarse for even the tamest of evil chuckles. He could never understand the fascination it held for so many people. Now, Darkmatter on the other hand loved the stuff, and would’ve made quick work of the free booze the hotel offered.

Zurg wondered how his right-hand man was doing. As annoying as Warp could be, and in spite of his allergy to hard work, he was one of Zurg’s best employees, and he’d given the emperor a good twenty years of service and then some. _It’d be a shame to lose him now._ He decided he’d call the hospital after the party and see how Warp was doing. With any luck, he’d be awake by then and already infuriating all the nurses.

His spirits now lifted, Zurg stretched across the sofa, closing his eyes and letting his mind drift to pleasant thoughts of the marvellous new future he was creating.

* * *

After the initial awkwardness, Mira had gotten the hang of things. Unfortunately, that hadn’t made actually dealing with the issues the Senate brought up any easier. One by one the senators and ambassadors had stepped forward to present their cases. The Rhizomian senator had finally been able to get in touch with his homeworld, which, as the first planet to fall to Zurg’s assault, had been unreachable for some time, and he now had a long list of items he wanted addressed. Rebuilding had already started under the guidance of the supervisors Zurg had left, but most of it had been focused on industrials centres so Hornet production could begin. The Rhizomians needed permission to begin regrowing the rest of the damaged areas. Mira gladly gave it. They needed medical supplies. She told the ambassador he’d have to wait—Capital Planet’s medical resources were already overstretched simply dealing with their own wounded. The Rhizomians wanted to know if they would be forced to construct weapons in the new factories Zurg was building on their planet, something that apparently went against everything they believed in. Mira said she didn’t know, but she’d talk to Zurg about it. Then the Elferian ambassador rose up with her own set of problems and objections. And then Senator Banda of the Bathyosians. And then Aarrfvox. And on and on it went.

She’d thought there were enough problems on Capital Planet alone to keep her busy a lifetime. Now she had the added responsibility of a hundred other planets’ troubles. Everyone wanted to talk to her, to bring some new issue to her attention. And the worst part was that although a few of them were petty, most of the issues were major concerns. Some planets were suffering food shortages thanks to the attacks. Others had hordes of hungry refugees sheltering in the rubble of their ruined cities. Looting and raiding had already started happening on some worlds—disaster always brought out the worst elements in society. Everywhere she turned, Mira found herself confronted with some new worry. She didn’t know what to say to all these people. She couldn’t help them all at once, but all their problems were urgent.

_Way to pass the buck on to me, Zurg,_ she thought bitterly. Not that she would’ve wanted these poor folk to have to deal with Zurg directly. At least she was sympathetic to their concerns. _But it sure would be nice to have a little help around here._

Taln was doing his best to shoulder some of the load, and she flashed him the occasional tired smile to show her appreciation, but she knew all eyes were on _her_ to solve their problems.

Fortunately, the Senate session couldn’t go on forever, no matter how much it felt that way. At last she was able to bang the gavel—loudly—and bring the meeting to an end. Then she stumbled back down from the podium and allowed herself to be led to her office by the Grub. It had been there to supervise her decisions and make sure she was acting in accordance with Zurg’s wishes. It seemed satisfied, so at least she didn’t have to worry about being executed on top of everything else—for the moment, anyway. _There’s always tomorrow._

Mira dropped into her chair when she finally reached the peaceful solitude of her office, leaning well back and pressing her fingers to her temples. "Ugh, get me a glass of cold water and an aspirin." Before the night was over she knew she would be hitting the lattes. There was no way she was going to get through the mountain of paperwork on her desk without them.

The Grub scurried away, and she leaned back even further and shut her eyes while she waited.

There was a soft knock on the door. Not a Grub then—they never knocked. "Come in," she sighed, feeling the weight of her eyelids as she forced them open again.

The door was hesitantly pushed ajar. "Ranger Nova—can I talk to you?"

Mira looked up. She knew that voice. "Ty?"

Ty Parsec slipped through the half-open door, closing it behind him. "Hey, yeah, it’s me. It’s been awhile, Nova. Good to see you’re okay."

_Okay? Huh. Sure._ She brushed some hair from her eyes. "I thought you were on Tangea..."

"I was. They’ve started shipping the evacuees back to Trade World, so I was recalled. Didn’t want to go, but what can you do?" He sighed and settled himself in a chair.

"How’s... how’s everything back home?" She realised she hadn’t had a chance to speak with her father yet. _Oh, man, I miss him so much._

"It’s not too bad. King Nova’s handling things. They’re lucky—they’re doing better than the places where Zurg’s fleet passed through."

Mira nodded slowly. She’d spent the afternoon hearing all the reports, so she knew he was right. Even the planets that had surrendered easily had still suffered to some degree. Zurg didn’t tread lightly.

"Your father was worried about you, though," Ty continued. "You should’ve seen how relieved he looked when he heard you’d made it out okay." He smiled. "I think that was the first time I ever saw him look genuinely happy."

_I should call him tonight._ Mira smiled back. "So what about you? Why are you here—I assume you’re not just interested in catching up on current events?"

"Two things." Ty sat up straighter. "First, I wanna know what’s gonna happen to the Rangers now. Is Zurg going to disband them?"

"No," she shook her head. "He says Star Command can stay—under his supervision, of course. As agents of his new regime, basically. Zurg’s not stupid. He knows he can’t take care of the whole galaxy himself—not yet anyway. So he’s still keeping as many of the old institutions in place as possible, until he can replace them. Star Command will continue to function as a law enforcement agency, only now they have to report to Zurg..." She blushed. "W-well, uh, to me, actually. I’m... kind of in charge around here, I guess. Uh, so, yeah, they report to me and I’ll be reporting to Zurg." _Ouch, that last part hurts to say._ "There’ll be some Grubs and Brain Pods keeping an eye on things over there, but Rocket’s the acting commander for the moment."

Ty took this in, nodding. "Good. Best man for the job, I’ll bet."

"Yeah."

Neither of them mentioned _why_ a new commander was necessary. Mira was still trying to block the loss of Nebula from her mind. She wondered how XR was doing... she hadn’t seen him at all that day.

Ty paused, then spoke up. "So what about me? Where do I fit in?"

Leaning forward, Mira straightened the stack papers on her desk and considered. "Well... I’d have to talk to Rocket about it first, but... w-with Buzz, you know, uh, gone... we’ll need a new top Ranger for all the big stuff. I was thinking Turner, but her team’s been through a lot lately. They need a break. If you’re interested, I’m sure Rocket could assemble a team for you."

The Ranger’s eyes widened. "Really? I could have my own team?"

"Yep."

"...wow. I mean, this is what I’ve always wanted..." He rubbed his neck. "Just not under these circumstances. It’s—it’s kind of a hollow victory now, I guess."

_Yeah. I know the feeling. Here I am, leader of the Galactic Alliance. Who would’ve thought it? And yet it’s the worst thing I’ve ever had to do._ She shrugged. "Well then, I’ll speak to Rocket later. You can return to Star Command and discuss it with him yourself if you like."

"Thanks." He stood up and was about to head for the door, then stopped. "Oh, right, there was the other thing."

She’d already started searching through the papers for more forms to sign. "Yeah?" she asked, not bothering to look up.

"Do you know anything about a teenage girl? Her name’s Savy—Savy SL2."

"Uh, I think Buzz mentioned her once, but I don’t know her myself." A faint memory tugged at her mind, something about NOS-4-A2. She hadn’t been part of that particular mission, and she couldn’t say she was sorry. She’d never been the sort to wish anyone dead, but one of the few remaining things she could take comfort in was the fact that the energy vampire was still deader than a space rock. "Why?"

A look of discontent seemed to play across Ty’s face. "I need to find her. She went off with that thug Torque—I’ll send you my report later, to fill you in on the details. If you hear anything about her, let me know, will you?"

She nodded. "Okay." _Another thing to add to the list_.

* * *

One-Two paused on the threshold of the Senate. Two Hornets stood guarding the entrance, and didn’t even acknowledge him with a glance. He ignored them equally in return. His compound eyes fixed instead on the surrounding Plaza, with its colourful buildings lined around the main square and the two shining pools in its centre. Beyond the Plaza lay the bright, misshapen city that made up the Galactic Alliance’s capital. It was so... non-uniform. There was no order, no structure, no conformity. One-Two’s antennae twitched. It was like the architects just... just designed buildings to look nice instead of to be functional and neat! That sort of thing would never be tolerated on Planet Z.

Even further, almost beyond the range of his eyesight, he could see rubble and the blackened remains of what had once apparently been downtown Capital City. There were craters where streets used to be. He accepted this with a shrug—he was sure all the damage inflicted had been necessary and well-deserved.

The sidewalks were almost empty of people, and the sky above was not only cleaner than Planet Z’s, but also devoid of the heavy air traffic One-Two was used to. He felt strangely exposed, with a blue sky over him and the sun’s last afternoon rays beaming down, instead of the usual smog and cloud. Everything was so... open.

Perhaps that was why he still lingered on the threshold, putting one foot out and then nervously drawing it back. There was a frightening sense of freedom around him. He’d been given permission to wander off through the city on his own—without even a Hornet escort! Nothing like that had ever happened to him before. What if he got into trouble? He would be all alone, without his evil emperor to protect him. It felt wrong.

And yet... it all looked so tantalising. He _wanted_  to go. He wanted to see the sights. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself and ran across the threshold, as if passing through an invisible barrier.

He was free!

_Careful,_ he thought. _Don’t want to sound like one of those defectors_.

Slowing down, he found his way to one of the sidewalks and followed it, with no particular destination in mind. He passed a few Hornets on patrol and the odd Brain Pod, but none of them spoke to him. He was secretly relieved—what would he say if one of them asked what he was doing? He _did_ have permission to go out, but he still felt like he was doing something a bit _naughty._ He’d always been such a good, faithful Grub. How else could he have risen so far in such a short span of time? He didn’t want to do anything wrong.

With a few furtive glances as another patrol passed, he ducked around a street corner and left the Plaza behind him.

The further he got from the Plaza, the more people he saw, but they all kept their eyes on the ground very deliberately and cleared out of his way as he walked by. It was strange—he was used to seeing people act that way around Emperor Zurg, and even around the Brain Pods and Hornets, but not around a simple Grub like him. Oh, sure, some of the other Grubs treated him very respectfully after he got his appointment to Zurg’s personal staff, but they were just, well... Grubs. Nobodies. He wasn’t used to being feared by important people.

_Are these important people,_ he suddenly wondered. Maybe they had been once, but now they were just tiny cogs in the machinery of Zurg’s great empire, just like him. Now it all made sense. They’d become nobodies too—that was why they were afraid! He almost felt sorry for them. It was one thing to have been born a Grub and known you were at the bottom of the ladder your whole life; it must be quite another to _become_ that way.

He kept walking, his little legs carrying him down long streets and past closed shops and deserted cafes. A few places had reopened for business, but most remained tightly locked up with the owners nowhere in sight. He was sure Zurg would see they all reopened in time, whether they liked it or not. The citizens of this new empire would need their services.

Shops were still an odd concept to him, though. They didn’t have anything like that on Planet Z. It was a much simpler system—you did your job and you got your allotted privileges. Housing, food, water, everything. The amount and quality depended on your status, of course, but everyone was provided for. There was no such thing as poverty, no one ever went hungry unless they weren’t doing their job properly, and people didn’t spend their whole lives trying to amass newer and better things. One-Two could count his personal possessions on one hand, and he only had two fingers. He liked his simple life.

It was hard to see why these people were so opposed to Zurg’s rule, when the emperor could make their lives so much _better_. They’d probably bought into all the Star Command propaganda—yes, that must be it. He was sure the Space Rangers told horrible lies about Zurg.

"Hey, you!"

The Grub’s antennae twitched and he looked up, searching for the source of the shout. There was a green-skinned man standing across the street, holding a bottle and looking at him in what could not be described as a friendly manner.

"Me?" One-Two asked.

"Yeah, you! Bug-eyed little crater-fragger!" The man teetered unsteadily, lifting the glass bottle and swinging it forward. "Go ‘ome!"

Experience in dealing with Zurg’s more violent moods had left One-Two with quick reflexes, and he ducked as the bottled hurtled over his head, smashing against the wall behind him.

"That wasn’t very nice," the Grub tsked.

Appearing seemingly out of nowhere, a patrol of Hornets marched across the street, their heavy footfalls drowning out the man’s cries as they clamped their hands around him and dragged him away. One-Two nodded in satisfaction. The Space Rangers would never have been on the scene as quickly as this—the streets of Capital Planet were going to be much safer from now on.

He moved on, and suddenly a pleasing aroma caught his nostrils. Following it, he turned a corner and came across a fat street vendor calling out from a little stand, holding up some fried concoction on a stick. One-Two didn’t know what it was, but it smelled delicious. He stepped forward hesitantly, wondering if Zurg would mind him sampling alien delicacies. The emperor did have strict cuisine rules back on Planet Z, after all.

"Get your nzetnek! Fried nzetnek! Get your fresh nzetnek here!"

One-Two approached the stall. "What’s a n-nahzet— whatever that is?"

The vendor seemed to pale when she saw him. "G-good afternoon, my, er, my... my lord."

Lord? Really? One-Two suppressed a giggle. "Just call me sir," he said, winking at her. It was a joke he wouldn’t have dared make if there were anyone else around—Zurg frowned on his employees claiming too much authority for themselves, even in jest—but on his own he was suddenly feeling bold.

"Yes, sorry, sir." She seemed to have taken him seriously. "Er, nzetnek is a meat from Sentilla IV, fried and mixed with various spices. It’s a very popular snack—surely you’ve tried it before, sir?"

"Nope, never!" he grinned. "Can I have some?"

"Oh, er, certainly." She handed him the stick she was holding.

He sniffed it eagerly. It was still hot, and juices slithered down the dark meat as he held it up, running trails through the powdery spices that coated it. Opening his mouth wide, he was about to take a bite when a thought occurred to him. "Oh, wait," he mumbled apologetically. "I don’t have any money for you..."

"Money? Oh no, sir!" She quickly waved her hand dismissively. "It’s on the house! Please, enjoy it!"

"Oh boy, thanks!" People were suddenly really nice to you when your boss had conquered their planet, he mused as he nibbled the crunchy outer crust of the meat. The spices burned his tongue, but it was so wonderfully different from anything he’d ever tasted before that he didn’t mind.

_I think I’m going to like it here!_ He walked on slowly, taking bites from the nzetnek and beaming at all the new sights he took in. What a great new age had dawned for all of them!


	34. Chapter 33

It was funny. In all the time XR had been online, he had never been inside Commander Nebula’s quarters before. He’d hung around outside, sometimes ambushing his pop as he was coming out, but he’d never been in. He supposed it wasn’t really surprising the commander had never invited him over—they weren’t the kind of family to gather around a dinner table or play scrabble together or whatever it was normal families did. But he wished now he’d been over at least once, so that _this_ wouldn’t be how he remembered it.

Nebula didn’t have a lot of possessions. His quarters were spartan and orderly, with a few medals and awards put up in a display case, some dusty books on a shelf, and the odd trinket Nebula had picked up during his long career scattered throughout the room. On the dresser beside the bed were some pictures. XR moved closer to get a better look at them.

One displayed on old house somewhere deep in the country—probably on Capital Planet. XR guessed it was his father’s childhood home; he’d heard him mention it once or twice. Another showed a young Nebula, sporting the faintest wisps of a moustache, sitting in some tacky dive with a squad of other young men playing pool. The third had been taken at the last Star Command family picnic. Nebula was seated on a merry-go-round horse, his arms folded and a deep scowl on his face, while XR and XL sat on the horse behind him and waved to the camera. It had taken all their powers of persuasion to get him to go on the ride with them (mostly they’d just nagged him until he couldn’t take it anymore), and he’d complained about it for days afterwards. XR stared at the picture for a long moment, wondering why Pop would put _that_ photo there. He couldn’t figure it out. It had been a fun day for the two robots, but hadn’t Pop been grumpy the entire time? Why would he want to remember that?

Next to those three pictures was a photo of Buzz with Nebula’s hand on his shoulder, the old man beaming proudly, but XR made a point of ignoring that one. Instead, he turned his attention to the closet on the other side of the room and went to open it. Inside was a spare Ranger suit and a very sparse array of civilian clothing. Nebula always seemed more comfortable in uniform than regular clothes, even when he was off-duty.

XR wondered what he was going to do with all this stuff. He’d come to clear the room out, but now that he was there it felt wrong to disturb anything. He almost wished he’d asked XL along to help, but he didn’t want to put his brother through it as well.

He jumped when the door swooshed open behind him. "XR?" a voiced asked.

"Mira!" The robot spun around. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on Capital Planet." She’d told him about her appointment as leader of the Galactic Alliance. Part of him felt strangely bitter—it wasn’t fair that he’d lost his dad while she’d gotten a promotion! He knew that she hadn’t wanted any of this to happen, of course, but even so, he’d been avoiding her. He suddenly noticed she was wearing a flowing, jade-coloured evening dress instead of her familiar Ranger suit. It appeared to be made from silk and it showed off her shoulders, flattering her far more than some of the Tangean dresses he’d seen her wear. He wondered what the occasion was.

"Yeah, and I need to get back there real quick or I’m going to miss the start of Zurg’s big party, and who knows what kind of hissy fit he’ll throw then." She sighed. "I came to get you. Zurg wants you at the party."

"Oh really?" XR folded his arms. "Well, you can tell our bucket-headed friend he can take his stupid invitation and—"

"The idea is to stay on his good side, XR! So that, y’know, he doesn’t _execute_ us!"

She had a point there, but XR couldn’t bring himself to care. "Why does he want _me_ at this dumb party of his anyway? It’s not like we’re bosom buddies or anything! To him, I’m just the witty little robot that tags after his arch enemy and gets blown up a lot! Not that I’m not the life of every party, mind you, but—"

"Look," Mira rolled her eyes, "please just come. Zurg probably only wants us there so he can gloat or whatever, but right now we can’t afford to make him angry. He has our lives in his hands, okay?"

"You mean he has _your_ life. I have nothing to do with it."

"Oh yeah? The only reason you were rebuilt is because I struck a deal with him, so don’t act like you’re not in this just as deep as I am! Until we find a way to fight back we have to play by his rules."

XR uncrossed his arms, looking up at her curiously. "Wait, so you _are_ planning to fight against him?"

She laughed, though it was an exhausted sound. "Of course, what did you even think? That I would just stand by and accept this?"

"Well... alright then, I suppose we might as well go," he said, with a martyr’s sigh. "I guess I can clean out Pop’s room later..."

"I’ll help you," she nodded, putting an arm around him and leading him out.

They took a shuttle down to the Plaza, which was already filling up with landed spaceships. It was a good thing Mira had her own reserved space, XR thought, otherwise they would have almost as much trouble finding parking as they did at Cosmo’s during lunch hour. He missed going to Cosmo’s every day with the team.

A Grub in a tuxedo—a rather startling sight, XR thought—ushered them into the Senate, and they were led to the big dining room that was usually used for diplomatic functions. Team Lightyear had been the security detail at a number of those events, so XR knew just how boring they could be. He wondered if Zurg’s party would be the same. It certainly didn’t _look_ the same.

There was a long table in the centre of the room, with a shiny purple tablecloth draped over it and vases of garish flowers arranged between the mountains of food. The dessert section in particular seemed well-stocked. Smaller tables were scattered throughout the rest of the room, with many of the guests already seated at them. More well-dressed Grubs could be seen here and there, carrying trays and waiting on the guests. Soft music played. On one of the tables stood an ice sculpture of Zurg, glistening in the light as little beads of water trickled down it. XR doubted it would last through the evening, and wished the same could be said of the real emperor.

What struck him more than the decor though were the guests themselves. All the usual dignitaries were there, looking a little uncomfortable but putting on their best faces—something politics had trained them well for, he suspected. But amongst them were strangers to the Senate, people who should never have been there and normally would’ve had Rangers swarming around them the moment they tried to enter Capital Planet’s atmosphere.

He saw various crime bosses—only those that Star Command hadn’t been able to nab yet, however, which at least meant Zurg hadn’t released the prisoners from PC-7—hobnobbing with minor planetary dictators from non-Alliance worlds. Big-time arms dealers were present, sipping champagne and laughing politely while a group of Gargantian militants told some muddled, long-winded joke. Miss Harper, now CEO of Compu-Klerm after her boss had been put away and she had managed to wriggle free from the charges against her, sat at a table with her robot secretary and made derogatory remarks about the cuisine. Standing alone, with guests casting weary glances towards them, was a delegation of Raenoks led by Supreme Commander Varg. XR cringed when he saw them and moved closer to Mira.

It looked like Zurg had gathered the criminal elite of the galaxy together for his party, and XR suddenly realised how conspicuous the blue Star Command emblem on his chest was.

Near the centre of the room, with a crowd of acolytes and bootlickers around him, was the emperor himself. He wore a shiny purple tuxedo jacket that suddenly made the Grubs look tastefully dressed, and he appeared to have all his usual armour on underneath. _He really is one odd fruit,_ thought XR, studying him. Zurg held a glass of what looked like lemonade in one hand, but instead of drinking it, he used it to gesticulate as he recounted how he’d won the final battle against the Galactic Alliance. At every dramatic moment he waved the glass in the air for emphasis, and the crowd oohed as if enraptured, though XR was certain they would’ve reacted the same way had Zurg been reading the phone book.

Zurg paused his tale when he saw the two of them enter, and he waved them over. A gap opened in the crowd for them to pass through, and XR was forced to follow Mira as she approached the emperor. He loved a good party as much as the next person, but he was starting to wish he hadn’t come. Not for one moment did he forget whose fault it was that Commander Nebula was dead.

"Ah, Mira Nova," said Zurg, his voice as bubbly as the champagne everyone else was drinking. "You’re _late_."

Mira maintained a neutral smile. "Sorry, I had to pick up XR."

Zurg glanced down, meeting XR’s gaze. The robot edged further behind Mira, narrowing his optics at Zurg’s fiery eyes. "What have we here?" cooed the emperor. "Why, it’s the little robot Ranger. I’m so glad you could make it."

"That’s XR to you!" He felt Mira nudge him, but he ignored her. "You’re lucky I even bothered to show up at all."

Handing his still-full glass to one of the Grubs, Zurg folded his arms. "My, my, that’s hardly the way to greet your host. No one ever taught you proper social etiquette, did they, tin can?"

XR balled his hands into fists, but he was able to clamp his mouth shut and hold in all the things he wanted to say. The time to fight back would come later.

"Nice party," Mira announced quickly.

"Thank you—I decided to really splash out this time. I even ordered some top-quality Bathyosian caviar!" Zurg rubbed his hands together. "Quite a feast, eh? Oh, they’ll be talking about this one in the Evil Monthly society columns for a long time to come! Even Gravitina’s last ball didn’t have a guest list as exclusive as mine, or a venue quite as spectacular as the very Senate of the Galactic Alliance itself!" He sighed. "Pity she couldn’t be here too, but I hear she’s got a few life sentences to serve. Though, now that I’m in charge, I suppose I could let her out if I ever wanted to."

Personally, XR was quite content to let Gravitina rot in prison. The guests that _were_ there were bad enough. Looking around, he noticed with surprise that Warp wasn’t present. Neither was Torque, who surely deserved a place amongst these lowlifes. He wasn’t about to ask Zurg why they were absent, however. _Be grateful for small mercies, am I right?_

He suddenly realised Zurg was looking at him. "Too bad you didn’t bring your brother," the emperor was musing. "That would’ve been the icing on the cake. There was a time, you know, when he would’ve been quite high on the guest list."

 _Oh, yeah, as if I would’ve forgotten that._ XR rolled his eyes. _There’s also a time when NOS-4-A2 would’ve been here. Yep, small mercies alright. Things could always be worse._ He decided not to say anything.

"Anyway," continued Zurg, "if you’ll excuse me, I must go speak to my staff about something."

"Of course." Mira nodded politely. Her face changed into a scowl as soon as Zurg’s back was turned, and she glared after him as he left.

"So what now?" XR asked. "In case you haven’t noticed, we’re the only Space Rangers in a room full of intergalactic thugs. This really isn’t our kind of party!"

Mira nodded. "I know, I know. Let’s try to stay out of their way, okay?"

"No argument from me!"

"Good. Now, wait here." Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she began walking away. "I want to talk to Varg."

"WHAT?" XR scrolled up beside her. "Are you out of your mind?!"

She stopped. "Don’t you see, XR? We have an opportunity here to get the Raenoks on our side. I’m not going to let it slip away."

"And just how do you propose to do that? Last time I checked, the Raenoks and the Galactic Alliance weren’t exactly exchanging Holiday cards, if you know what I mean! They hate our guts and we hate theirs!" He had vivid memories of sitting inside a Raenok cell awaiting execution.

"I don’t hate the Raenoks," said Mira. "I hate Zurg. And hopefully so do they."

"And you really think you can convince them to join us?" She’d lost it—she was grasping at straws! XR was all for exploring all options, but really, the _Raenoks?!_

She frowned at him. "I might have a better chance on my own, you know. That’s why I wanted you to stay back there at the table. You and Varg didn’t exactly hit it off last time."

"That’s not my fault! He’s just too sensitive! Calls himself a warrior but can’t even take a few jokes about his mother, sheesh."

"You talking about Varg’s mommy?"

XR jumped when he heard the rough voice. He hadn’t realised they’d reached the Raenoks’ table already. Varg and his guards were standing in front of them, towering well above the two Rangers, and looking even less friendly than usual. Though, come to think of it, XR didn’t think he’d ever seen a Raenok that _did_ look friendly. They had two moods—thinking about killing you and actually trying to kill you. Fortunately, they appeared to still be in the former, for now.

"Uh... XR was j-just saying what a wonderful mother you... you have," said Mira, flashing them a smile which faltered around the edges. "I’m, uh, I’m Governor Mira Nova."

Varg nodded. "Yes, Varg know you. You Space Ranger, work for Buzz Lightyear."

"Yeah, well, y’know, I-I’ve kind of, um, found a new line of work." She chuckled nervously. "So, uh, anyway, I was, you know, wondering if we could, um, talk... or... something."

The Raenok squinted through his monocle at XR. "You bring loudmouth robot with you."

XR ducked behind Mira, grasping at the train of her dress for security.

"Sorry, yeah," she gulped. "Don’t worry, he’ll keep quiet, won’t you, XR?"

Keeping his mouth shut tight, XR nodded vigorously. Was it his imagination, or were Varg’s shoulders even broader than he remembered? And surely his arms hadn’t been quite that muscular last time? One squeeze from them and a poor robot’s terrillium would crumple like wet paper!

"Varg watching you." The Raenok commander turned back to Mira. "Okay, you talk. Make it quick. Varg want more food."

"R-right, um okay." Mira took a deep breath. "First, I just wanna say I’m surprised you even came here at all. I didn’t know the Raenoks were on such good terms with Zurg."

"Pah!" snorted Varg. "Raenok warriors no friends of Zurg. Zurg attack us sometimes, steal our territories! Zurg no better than no-good Galactic Alliance!"

"Doesn’t stop you from coming over to eat his food though, does it?" A glare from the Raenoks made XR duck back behind Mira. "Shutting up now, sorry!"

Crushing the cup he was holding and letting the fragments drop ominously to the floor, Varg eyed XR with a vile expression. "Raenoks see what Zurg do to Galactic Alliance. Want to discuss treaty with him, form non-aggression pact."

 _So, the big bad Raenoks are afraid of Zurg just like everyone else._ XR smirked, but for once had the good sense not to voice his thoughts.

"What if I offered you a second option," suggested Mira. "What if I said that together, we just might be able to rid the universe of Zurg once and for all, and things can go back to status quo for both of us?"

Varg’s deep-set eyes widened and his brow shot up. "You are talking about an alliance? Between Raenoks and Space Rangers?"

She shrugged. "Something like that. Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy, but think about it—if we let things stay the way they are, what’s to stop Zurg from going after you next? Do you really think the Galactic Alliance is going to be enough for him? He won’t rest until he has the whole galaxy in the palm of his hand!"

"Hmm..." Varg tapped his tusky mouth with a clawed finger. "Risky. Varg no want war with Zurg. What if Zurg leave Raenoks alone if Raenoks sign treaty?"

XR peeked his head around Mira’s legs. "What, Raenoks hiding behind a treaty? I thought you were supposed to be big tough warriors, but I guess I was wrong if you’re frightened of one little old evil emperor..."

"Enough!" Varg lunged at the robot.

Only just restraining himself from shrieking in a way that would’ve ruined the macho image he hoped he projected, XR backed away as fast as his treads would allow. Mira had to step between him and the enraged Raenok, holding her hands up and pleading for everyone to calm down.

"Pah, Raenoks not work with lowdown Space Rangers!" grunted Varg. "You want us to trust you, you say robot shut up, robot no shut up! Still loudmouth!"

"I’m sorry! Look, if I send XR away, can we still talk about—"

"No! Raenoks talk to Zurg. We sign treaty. Raenoks not end up like stupid Galactic Alliance." The trio of Raenoks marched away, leaving Mira staring angrily at XR.

He offered her a sheepish smile. "...sorry?"

She folded her arms. "That was our one chance, XR. Our one chance! And you blew it!"

"I didn’t mean to—"

"I give you one simple instruction, and you can’t even handle that!"

"Look, I—"

"Ugh, just stay somewhere quiet and don’t cause any more trouble." She stomped off, her green dress trailing behind her.

XR’s defiant posture fell away, and he looked around for a corner in which to wait out the rest of the party. _I should’ve stayed on Star Command._

* * *

The Grub had been late in arriving to the banquet, but Zurg had finally found him, and the creature was quivering with oh-so-satisfying fear and mumbling a string of apologies as the emperor bore down on him with his arms folded across his chest.

"So," said Zurg, "I tell you to return an hour before the party, and what happens? You show up late! And not even properly dressed for the occasion, for that matter!"

One-Two’s knees shook. "I humbly beg your forgiveness, O Evil One! I, er, I lost track of the time..."

"You call that an excuse? When I give you an order, you obey it! IS THAT CLEAR?" If that shout didn’t rattle the Grub’s bones, nothing would.

Bobbing his head up and down, One-Two assured him it wouldn’t happen again. His expression was so morose, so guilty and full of self-loathing, that Zurg finally relented and accepted his apology with a nod. You couldn’t afford to be soft with your employees, but it didn’t hurt to let them off the hook once in awhile. This Grub was the best personal assistant he’d ever had, so one brief lapse could be tolerated. Provided it _didn’t_ happen again, of course.

"Alright, stop snivelling," he told his minion. "I have a job for you."

One-Two’s hand shot up in a salute. "I live to serve, Evil Emperor!"

"Yes, yes. I need you to escort the special guest to the party. She’s been moping in her room ever since the surrender—it’s time she got out and had a little fun."

"As you command, Your Vileness!" The Grub scampered off.

Fun, of course, was probably the last thing on the former president’s mind just then. Still, it wouldn’t be a party without her. Zurg had grown accustomed to her attending all the important milestones in his rise to glory. He wasn’t going to leave her out now.

Finding a private table at the very end of the room where few people were gathered, he took a seat and waited. He didn’t have to wait long. In what appeared to be an effort to make up for his previous tardiness, One-Two fetched the president in record time and brought her to the table before you could say jim cracking dandy.

She’d finally discarded her tattered, blood-stained presidential garb for something a little tidier, namely a simple lilac frock, though she’d kept the cravat. Her perfectly-coiffed hair had been slowly collapsing ever since Zurg had taken her prisoner, and finally she’d done away with the style altogether, including the little ribbon at the back, letting her long white locks hang loose. It gave her a very different appearance from the stern, no-nonsense leader of the Galactic Alliance she had once been—but that woman no longer existed anyway. _And neither does the Galactic Alliance,_ Zurg thought with glee.

On her face was plastered a set of twin scowls. He was glad to see she’d recovered some of her spirit since their last meeting. For awhile it had looked as if the fall of the Alliance would prove too much for her to cope with.

"Madam President!" he greeted. "Do take a seat!" Gasping with mock horror, he put his hands over his mouth. "Oops! You’re not Madam President anymore, are you? I _do_ apologise!"

She stiffened but didn’t rise to the bait. One-Two pulled out a chair for her, and she accepted it with a nod. They seemed to be getting on quite well, those two—Zurg wasn’t sure he liked it. Not that he was possessive, of course, but no one was allowed to get chummy with _his_ Grubs.

"So, how are you keeping?" Zurg sneered. "Well, I hope?"

Her creamy eyes narrowed. "How can you throw a party?"

"It’s a rare talent, I admit—not everyone can do it with the panache that sets the amateurs apart from the masters, but I’ve always been gifted with special—"

"Shut up!" Both mouths. Clearly she was cross. "I meant how can you even think of celebrating after so many good people died? How can you throw around all this food while people are starving?!"

He pretended to look offended. "It’s not _my_ fault if some people didn’t have the good sense to criminally amass trillions of uni-bucks that they can now spend on premium Bathyosian caviar! For the record, I could’ve just _taken_ all this stuff now that I’m in charge, but I’ll have you know I paid for it all fair and square!" He was very proud of how he ran things. The dark forces of chaos were all well and good, but he’d always found that a little law and order kept your empire stable. Not that he’d ever admit that to Lightyear, of course.

"Why do I have to sit here and listen to this?" she demanded. "I want nothing more to do with you!"

"I’m afraid you’re still my prisoner, and you amuse me." If he couldn’t have Buzz Lightyear, she was the next best thing. What was the point of victory if you couldn’t crow in your opponent’s face a little bit?

Her lower set of lips curled down viciously. "Is that what I am now? Your court jester, hmm?"

"Oh, it could be worse." He grinned. "I could’ve had you executed!"

"You’re not that merciful."

That caught him off-guard. He leaned forward. "Do you wish I had?" Tempting as it was for him to add that it could still be arranged, he refrained.

"If I could swap our lives for the thousands you slaughtered, I’d gladly see you in hell."

"Well, that’s a cheery—if melodramatic—sentiment, but you had your chance to kill me and you failed." A weakness he wouldn’t have succumbed to had he been holding the gun. It was satisfying to realise just how much stronger he was than his enemies, especially after so many years of doubt and failure. "Besides, in case you’ve forgotten, I wasn’t the one who reduced this planet to rubble. No, that was your precious Buzz Lightyear, or a dark reflection of him at any rate."

"Genocide doesn’t stop being genocide just because somebody else pulled the trigger."

"How profound. Maybe I’ll get that on a coffee mug."

"Is death so casual to you that you see it as something to joke about?" She pointed a finger at him. "Do you place any value in life at all?"

He smiled. "I value my own life quite highly, as a matter of fact."

This only made her expression even stormier. "So that’s what you are—a selfish tyrant who doesn’t care who he crushes underfoot as long he gets what he wants?"

"Was there ever any doubt?"

She slumped back in her chair. "I don’t know why I bother arguing with you... it’s hopeless... Everything is hopeless."

"To being hopeless then, Madam President." Zurg raised the fresh glass of lemonade One-Two had brought him. It was nice and fizzy, just the way he liked it. His eyes wandered around the crowded Senate dining hall, where so many of his fellow villains had come to gape in awe at his newfound power. Hopelessness had never looked so promising.

"Not Madam President anymore," he heard her whisper. She looked up at him and sighed. "Is there anything you haven’t taken away from me?"

The question was an oddly familiar one. Zurg remembered a time when he used to ask it of the universe daily. He wished he could go back and show his past self what he would one day become. At last he had triumphed, at last all the years of hardship had been worth it. He was the victor.

He watched the president sink deeper into her chair, gazing around despairingly at the transformed Senate. It was her turn now—it was _everyone’s_ turn to experience the helplessness he had once gone through. Now they would know what was like to lose everything.

Yes, the tables truly had turned.


	35. Chapter 34

"Everything alright up there, Kayuga?"

"Quiet as a depressurised airlock, sir."

"Good. Lightyear out." Buzz closed his communicator. The harsh Jo-Adian suns gleamed off his white Ranger suit, and he had to squint under the glare. Despite the heat, however, it was a pleasant day, with a light breeze blowing through the valley and a beautiful sky above.  He wished he could stay and bask in the warmth longer, like a reptile restoring its energy, but every moment they remained on the planet they risked discovery. He strode forward to the group clustered outside the downed spaceship that had become the Munchappers’ home.

He and Booster had been spending as much time as possible on the planet, though they had to rotate with the other cruisers, each one picking up supplies that the Munchappers kindly provided from their silos. The crews were given a chance to stretch their legs planetside and enjoy the fresh air, then they were back up and a new cruiser went down after the Hornet patrols had been through. It was a tricky system, and they’d had a few close calls already, but Buzz knew they were all much better off for having visited the planet and felt the ground under their feet again. You needed that kind of thing after you’d watched everything you loved be ripped away from you.

"Well?" asked Pa Munchapper. "What’s the news?"

Buzz shrugged. "All clear. We’re ready to go."

Booster and his family exchanged glances. The boy had brightened considerably in the time they’d spent on Jo-Ad, returning almost to his old self. Buzz was glad, though it did little to ease his own spirits. Now the time had come for Booster to leave his family, and Buzz knew it would be difficult.

"Are you sure you can’t stay a little longer?" Pa asked, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "You know you’re always welcome here."

Buzz gave him a nod of respect. "Thank you—you’ve done more than enough for us already, Mr. Munchapper. But it’s time we got going. We can’t put you folks at risk any longer."

"Oh, don’t worry about us," said Ma. "If you need to stay a few more days..."

"I’m sorry, ma’am, but we really can’t."

Patting his mother’s shoulder, Booster smiled hopefully. "It’ll be okay, Ma. I-I won’t be gone long... I hope. As soon as this is over, I’m going to come right back here and we’ll fix up the farm together and everything will be okay—right, Buzz?"

"Right, Booster." They both knew it wouldn’t be that easy—and it was clear Mrs. Munchapper knew it too—but sometimes hope was more important than facing reality.

Ma smiled, rubbing a big hand over her moist eyes, and nodded. "You two be off then, and go kick Zurg’s purple behind for us."

"Will do, ma’am." Buzz saluted.

"So where will you go now?" Buster asked.

"Somewhere they won’t want to look for us." Buzz wondered how much it was safe to tell them. Not that he expected the Munchappers to tell Zurg anything, of course, but you could never be too careful.

Mr. Munchapper saluted. "Good luck to you, Ranger Lightyear!" The others echoed the sentiment.

"Thank you. You’ve been invaluable to the cause of justice, my friends. Good luck to you as well." They were good people, the Munchappers. It was easy to see how they’d produced such a fine son. Buzz realised he was going to miss them almost as much as Booster would.

"Goodbye—Ma, Pa, Buster, Gramps." Booster hugged each of them in turn. "I hope I see you again super soon!"

"Just as long as you’re back in time for the next bunzel harvest, boy." His grandfather grinned and winked.

"Oh, sure thing, Gramps!" Booster chuckled nervously.

Buzz patted Booster’s back as the rookie came over to join him. "Well then, we’ll be off now. It’s been a honour staying with you. See you on the other side, people!"

After scouting the area to make sure there were no Hornets in sight, they returned to the cruiser and blasted off. Booster spent most of the trip looking back out the window, and Buzz couldn’t blame him. Already he’d found himself missing his own home on Capital Planet, and he’d only been away for three days.

Leaving the planet behind them, they slipped discreetly around the moon and met up with the other four cruisers.

"This is Buzz Lightyear to all ships," Buzz said over the comm. "Prepare to disembark." He received confirmation from the four vessels. "Right, everyone, time to set a new course. We’re heading for the planet Karn. Repeat, set course for planet Karn." He just hoped he was right about Zurg not looking for him there. His enemy did know about his relationship with Ozma, but he was pretty sure even Zurg would never imagine he’d choose Karn of all places to set up a base of operations. For one thing, it was almost _too_ obvious, and for another, well...

_Let’s face it,_ he thought, _it’s just about the worst place you could pick._

* * *

It had been so long since he last visited the home of the Little Green Men that he’d almost forgotten the peaceful vista it offered. Green valleys dotted with tiny farmhouses, earthy cliffs worn smooth with age, and sprawling little villas that looked like they were part of some pre-industrial society rather than one of the most advanced races in the Gamma Quadrant. The air itself seemed infused with tranquillity; so fresh and unpolluted compared to the recycled atmosphere he was used to on Star Command. It was as if the LGMs were frozen in time, forever living out their simple lives while the rest of the galaxy marched on. The first time he’d been to their world, he’d scarcely believed it possible that these could be the same people who possessed technological knowledge far beyond the Galactic Alliance’s own scientists.

Everywhere Nebula looked, the tiny green beings ambled along in a serene daze, sometimes calling a greeting to a friend or pausing to sniff a blossom on one of the many bushes planted throughout the village. None of them looked surprised when Nebula passed by. He supposed they all already knew of his presence—that mindlink thingamajig or whatever it was. _Bet there isn’t a lot of call for newspapers around here_ , he thought. It would certainly put Brent Starkisser out of a job, which was an amusing thought.

Stepping out of the stooped underground chambers and into the sunlight that morning had done his aching back a lot of good, and he was no longer coughing up dust bunnies. He’d been trapped down there too long, with only that blasted Xlgta woman (or whatever her name was—he didn’t trust his tongue to pronounce "Xlgta", but she hadn’t offered any alternative titles, so it would have to do) for company. Trying to get answers from her was like trying to shake a candy bar out of a stubborn vending machine, only ten times as frustrating.

She still hadn’t told him who she was or what she wanted of him. Whatever it was, he was sure he wouldn’t like it. Especially since it seemed to involve Zurg, though she hadn’t elaborated any further on that bit either.

The most galling thing of all though was that he was stuck on this planet thanks to her meddling, instead of being on Star Command where he could actually do some good. He’d heard the news from the LGMs—Zurg had won the battle, and now ruled most of the galaxy. It had taken the rest of the day for that fact to sink in. Now he had a restless itch to get away, to do _something_ , and had paced all around the Uni-mind chamber until Xlgta finally let him out. He felt so useless! What good was he if he wasn’t able to help his Rangers in their hour of need? Someone needed to sort Zurg out, and if Buzz didn’t do it then he’d gladly take on the bucket-headed freak himself!

His mind drifted to thoughts of his top Ranger. At least there was some good news there. It didn’t surprise Nebula at all that Buzz had gotten away. _He’s more than a match for Zurg any day. He’ll handle this somehow, I know he will_. As long as Buzz was free, the Galactic Alliance still had a chance. Nebula had never known Lightyear to let him down.

Meanwhile, he had to deal with his own situation. Did that woman really think he was going to sit around like a good little boy instead of blasting off this green hunk of rock the first chance he got? He wasn’t going to wait around for her to explain things or find whatever it was she was looking for in that old library! He was getting out the second he found a ticket off this world!

It would’ve been easier, of course, if the LGMs weren’t living like backwater hippy hicks. For an advanced civilisation, there sure seemed to be a distinct lack of anything that would make a technophile or energy vampire salivate. Not even a simple comm unit to be found, let alone a spaceship or anything else that could get him to freedom!

The green beans themselves weren’t much help either—he’d tried talking to a few, and they were impeccably polite like every other LGM he’d ever known, but skittered away from his attempts at hinting at possible escape routes. They also wouldn’t tell him anything about who Xlgta was. He wondered what hold she had over them.

There was a slight pang in his gut as he thought back to the Galactic Alliance, and the hold _they_ had over the LGMs. _It’s just a simple, mutually beneficial arrangement,_ he told himself. _Like a business deal._ But his uneasiness refused to settle back into the murky depths from which it had come. He had to remind himself that the LGMs seemed to genuinely enjoy working for Star Command. _That’s what they do. They serve other people, like us or Santa what’s-his-name. They like it._

Besides, could the Galactic Alliance really still be held accountable for the things that had happened during their teething troubles? It wasn’t like many people even knew about the deal anyway—the Rangers who worked side by side with the LGMs on Star Command certainly didn’t.

"Enjoying your walk?"

He spun around. "Oh no. You again." He should’ve heard her coming up behind him—her footsteps were heavy in that armour. Nebula cursed himself for getting so lost in his own thoughts that he’d stopped paying attention to his surroundings. _I’ve been outta the action too long._ A Ranger was supposed to have senses as sharp as the beam on a precision laser cutter.

The black visor of Xlgta’s helmet was trained on him, but even in the sunlight he couldn’t pierce the darkness that enveloped her face—if she even had a face. It was disconcerting being unable to look your opponent in the eye.

"A nice day," she said casually, glancing about at the idyllic scenery. "Blue skies have always been my favourite. My own was grey—always dull and grey, even when the sun shone. Never as lovely as this."

"I’m real sorry for you." He folded his arms, wondering what she wanted.

She shrugged. "It was gloomy, but it could also be beautiful, at times. Especially from the highest spire of the imperial tower, which reached far into the clouds... That was before it was broken down, of course."

Nebula licked his lips hesitantly, wondering if he could push for some answers. "Is your world dead? ‘Cause the way you talk about it..."

"It is... what it is. But it is not gone, if that’s what you mean. My people live on. But our spirit, what we were—that has been lost. I sometimes think I’m the only one who remembers." He thought he heard her sigh. "Soon no one will."

_Tough beans, lady._ "Look, whatever’s going on, whatever you’re trying to do, I wish you the best of luck. Really, I do. But I don’t want any part of it, you understand?" He threw his hands in the air. "I’ve gotta get back to my Rangers! The Galactic Alliance needs all the help it can get right now, and you’ve got no right to hold me here!"

"I am not holding you. You have always been free to wander around as you please, which is why we are standing out here as we speak, instead of in the archives where I would rather be."

"Oh yeah? Then why did I wake up in a mouldy ol’ cell yesterday, hmm?"

The woman sat down on a stone bench, shifting uncomfortably in her thick suit and crossing her arms. "That was not a cell," she said, with something that sounded like amusement in her voice.

"Could’ve fooled me."

"The catacombs were a sanctuary," she continued. "In the last days."

"Last days? Last days of what? In case you haven’t noticed, lady, those tunnels look like they’ve seen an awful lot of days since they were built!"

She nodded. "Most of them are thousands of years old."

"Then what in blue blazes are you talking about?" He was tired of fighting for every sliver of information he got. Enigmatic nonsense may have been fine for some people, but he was a simple guy who liked everything straight up and honest.

"The last days of the war."

The commander’s eyebrows knotted together. "Since when were the LGMs ever at war with anyone? The little jellybeans are as peace-loving as they come, ‘cept when Zurg kidnaps one of their friends. They wouldn’t hurt a fly!"

"Everyone was at war then," she said. "It was the Great War—the war that spanned galaxies."

"Enough with the theatrics, lady! Just give me some stinkin’ answers!"

She stood up. "You must have heard of it. It was Natron’s war on the universe itself."

* * *

Animal research had its good days and its bad days. The good days were those spent hidden behind a rotting, fungus-covered log observing a thrashosaur hunt down its prey, or netting baby stratoshrikes to tag. The bad days consisted of long hours hunched over a computer terminal, typing up endless reports to send back to the Capital Planet Xenobiology Research Institute. As fascinating as the data she’d collected on mating habits and migration patterns was, there was only so long you could stare at a bright screen in a dim room before your eyes started to ache and you yearned to get outside again and breathe the fresh air, to hear the animals calling to each other in their many voices.

Unfortunately, Ozma still had fifteen reports to fill out and if she didn’t get them sent in on time, the Institute might threaten to cut her funding again.

At least it was still six months before she was due to return to Capital Planet for the next annual ecology conference. She hated those trips. They took her away from her work and no one seemed particularly interested in the findings she presented. As far as her colleagues were concerned, Karn was an out of the way mudhole that didn’t matter to anyone because its only native inhabitants were non-sentient and likely to kill you on sight. They seemed to think it was enough to simply slap a "wildlife preserve" label on it and move on. She felt differently, of course, and had devoted her life to its study and preservation (it was only through her campaigning that it had even received that status as a nature preserve, protected from all settlement and development). She’d long since given up on convincing anyone else to share her views, however. Even people like Buzz, who’d learned to respect her feelings on the matter, still didn’t quite agree.

There were advantages to this, of course. It meant her colleagues took glamourous assignments researching fluffy kitten-bears on Verdentia or snorkelling in the azure lagoons of Mahambas VI to study the friendly shoals of fish that clustered around the reefs, while she was left in peace on Karn, with no annoying research partners or interns to bother her. The ultimate freedom.

The bio-station had become home to her, the cosy steel walls her sanctuary against the rest of the universe. It was small, but if she felt any cabin fever she could simply put on her servo-suit and wander out into the great green wilderness and admire its lethal beauty. Some might get lonely, living in almost total isolation year after year. Even comm check-ins were restricted to once a month, and only then for official business—no personal calls. But she never felt alone. You _couldn’t,_ when every snapping twig might be a ravenous carnivore about to make you its next meal. Karn was the least lonely place in the galaxy—it teemed with life, overflowing in fact with the most fascinating array of beasts you would ever lay eyes on. Most people saw only the death and savagery of the world, but to her it was the most beautiful triumph of the survival instinct anywhere in the universe. Life existed in so many miraculous forms and in such abundance, in spite of nature’s best efforts to make the perfect killing machines to snuff it out. For every creature on Karn, there were twenty more out there that wanted to eat it, and yet life _carried on_.

She leaned back in her squeaky chair, another report finished, and ran a hand through the auburn hair she kept in a short, practical ‘do. It was time for a break—the text had begun to take on a life of its own and was swimming before her eyes in circles around the screen.

Sipping her now cold coffee, she swivelled away from the desk and shut her eyes. It was quiet in the bio-station, but a few of the loudest shrieks and squawks outside could still be heard through the thick, reinforced metal walls. It sounded like a flock of stratoshrikes were flying over, screeching to each other so none of the stragglers would get lost.

No, wait. She opened her eyes, listening more intently. Those weren’t pleasant, goodwill screeches—there was fear in their calls. Something had startled them. Screams of terror were hardly uncommon on Karn, of course, but it took a lot to rattle a stratoshrike.

She set down her coffee and rose with a tired groan, grabbing her servo-suit from where it hung on the wall. Although she’d grown experienced enough to occasionally leave the dome without it, she wasn’t going to take any chances if there was something out there getting stratoshrikes in a panic. Adjusting the dial, she held up the ring of metal and let it extend out over her, forming a thick exoskeleton that all but the toughest predators would have a hard time chewing on.

The suit hummed mechanically as she walked, containing tiny motors that let her move with ease under the heavy shell. It was like a second skin to her, with cooling systems inside kept her from getting too hot. There was nothing worse than being trapped in a sweaty servo-suit.

She marched to the hatch and started the opening sequence, stepping back tentatively and holding her hand over the entry coder in case she needed to close it again in a hurry. The hatch slid up and sunlight streamed into the dome. Ozma tilted her head, staring up at the sky. She could see stratoshrikes flapping in frantic circles, still shrieking at the top of their lungs. Squinting, she spied what had upset them.

Five black shapes were silhouetted against the sky, rapidly descending towards her clearing. The whine of the engines was now audible. She’d grown familiar with the sound—Star Command cruiser thrusters. _Buzz?_

Her confusion turned to anger. Were those idiots really going to land their big heavy cruisers right in front of her base? They’d scare all the wildlife away for weeks! And who knew what burrowing creatures they might crush when they landed! Not to mention the pollution from the jet fumes. She was going to have a lot to say to them when they set down, that was for sure.

Planting her hands on her hips, she waited in the doorway for the five ships to settle in the clearing. She read the number 42 in bold letters on the side of the lead ship, confirming her suspicions. Of _course_ it was Buzz. No one else would be pig-headed enough to land in her front yard.

The engines shut off, and the rippling bushes and trees slowly calmed. Calls of alarm still rose from various animals, but at least the worst was over. Ozma marched towards 42, eyeing the hatch from which a ladder was descending. Sure enough, Buzz Lightyear himself slid down a moment later, followed by the big red teammate of his.

She opened the helmet of her suit. Certain types of yelling needed the added emphasis of angry glares. Facial signals were a vital part or mammalian body language, after all. "Lightyear, just _what_ do you thin you are doing?"

Buzz jumped when he saw her, reddening and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ah, Ozma, uh..."

"You just landed five ships on a protected planet, in one the most environmentally-unstable regions on this continent, without even asking for my permission!"

"Look, Ozma, I’m sorry," said Buzz, taking a deep breath as if he’d been expecting this, "but we couldn’t risk phoning ahead. The comm channels aren’t safe for anything more than short range communication."

"What are you talking about?" Whatever he was doing, he wasn’t going to weasel out of a good tongue-lashing.

There was an awkward pause from the Space Ranger. "You haven’t heard the news, have you?" he said at last. "No, of course you haven’t. Stuck out here on Karn, probably don’t even get CPN, and wouldn’t bother listening to it if you did..."

She folded her arms. "What news?"

The Jo-Adian came up behind his captain. "It’s... it’s Zurg," he whimpered to Ozma.

Buzz nodded, and Ozma suddenly realised how exhausted he looked. "You see, after the president was—well, _seemed_ to be—assassinated, Zurg—"

"Hold on," she cut in. "The president was assassinated?"

Buzz and his rookie exchanged a glance. "You really don’t get out much, do you?" Buzz sighed.

"My last check-in was three weeks ago," said Ozma. Was it her fault if something had happened since then? It was only a week until the next check-in, so she would’ve found out soon enough anyway. Besides, presidents came and went. Big deal.

"Well, I guess I’d better fill you in." Buzz took a deep breath. "We’ll give you the full details later, but what you really need to know right now is... well... Ozma, Zurg’s taken control of the Galactic Alliance."

She ran that sentence through her mind several times before she could make sense of it. "What?"

"There was a battle, and he won. He’s on Capital Planet as we speak." There was a hollowness in Buzz’s voice to match his face. "Our cruisers just barely got away."

"You’re on the run," she realised.

"Yes."

"And we need your help," added Booster.

Even to someone like her, who kept out of galactic politics like a razor-bat kept out of the sun, it was obvious that this was far more serious than the usual posturing between the Alliance and Zurg. If Zurg really was in control of everything, then... She shuddered as she thought about all the implications. "I think you’d better come in," she said, turning and heading back to the dome. Buzz and his rookie followed. She hoped the other crews would have the good sense to stay in their ships, because she wasn’t going to have them all traipsing into her little station, and if they hung around outside they were likely to become stratoshrike fodder—if something else didn’t get them first.

Once the three of them were inside the compound, Ozma sealed the door. You could never be too careful, even when you had five star cruisers in your front yard. This was _Karn_ , after all. "What do you need?" she asked, turning back to the Rangers.

"A lot," sighed Buzz.

"I’ll do what I can. Within reason." Meaning anything that jeopardised her animals was out. She hoped Zurg didn’t know they’d come to Karn, because the last thing she needed was the emperor returning to the planet and blazing across it like he’d done before. Some of the forests he’d burned down were only just starting to grow back.

"We need a base of operations. Somewhere isolated and dangerous, where no one’ll go looking for us." Buzz’s eyes darted around the room. "Karn."

_No. I won’t have Rangers ruining the planet I’ve worked so hard to protect!_ She shook her head. "If Zurg finds you here, he’ll tear this world apart trying to get at you!"

"That’s why we’ll do our best not to be found." Buzz offered her a weak grin. "We’ve managed pretty well so far."

"Not good enough. Buzz, this is my whole life! I can’t risk it!"

"Not even for the whole galaxy?"

_Forget the stupid galaxy!_ "I... Buzz, you have to understand, if anything happens to Karn..."

"I know, Ozma, I know." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Your world would collapse. Well, that’s already happened to _my_ world. Zurg did the unthinkable—he won. Now I’m going to do everything in my power to make things right. You’d do the same in my place, wouldn’t you?"

Slowly, unwillingly, she nodded. Different ideals, but she knew exactly how her... her boyfriend (still getting used to that one, she thought) felt. "Fine," she snapped. "You’ve got Karn. But if your band of boy scouts steps on so much as _one_ beetle..."

"We’ll leave everything as pristine as when we arrived, you have my word," he assured her. "My people will spend most of their time aboard the cruisers anyway. We picked up enough supplies on Jo-Ad to last us a good while yet."

"We just need somewhere to hide out while we plan our next move," said Booster.

Ozma looked at the sombre pair. "Do you really think you can bring Zurg down?" Five ships against an entire empire....

"We have to," said Buzz. "The galaxy depends on us."

Always the optimist. In spite of herself, she smiled at his firm belief in the inherent justice of the universe. There was something endearing about it. She just wished it was a belief she shared. But if there was one thing she’d learned, it was that the universe didn’t favour the just—only the strong and the cunning. And she was pretty sure Zurg had the advantage there.


	36. Chapter 35

For a long time everything was simply a hazy whirl of colours and sounds, drifting almost into clarity and then slipping away again. Sometimes a stray thought would even form, mostly nonsensical but bearing more structure than anything else in the shapeless porridge of his mind. But these ideas would dissolve into the ether almost as soon as they appeared.

At last, the sounds morphed into beeps and lowered voices, and the colours refined and sharpened into shapes. A white ceiling with a strip of lights running across it was staring down at him. When he looked across the room he could see a window, but the blinds were drawn. The room smelled funny, like some sort of chemical he couldn’t quite remember the name of.

Disinfectant. That was it.

Warp tried to push himself into a sitting position, but he felt so drowsy and weak. There was equipment beeping all around him. He couldn’t figure out where he was.

"He’s awake!" he heard someone say. It sounded like a Grub.

_This doesn’t look like Planet Z..._ It was a ward of some kind, he began to realise, but not one of the dark, steel-walled rooms of Zurg’s infirmary. Not the Dreadnought either. So, somewhere else then, but where...

"Marvellous." That voice was all too familiar. "Can I speak to him?"

"Zurg?" Warp croaked. Ouch, his throat felt rough and dry. He looked around for a glass of water, but saw only the needle connected to his arm and the stark furnishings and machinery of the ward.

A dark figure swept into view. Zurg had his hands on his hips, assuming he actually had hips or legs of any kind (Warp preferred not to make assumptions about Zurg, because they frequently turned out to be wrong), and was gazing down at him with less concern than Warp felt the situation warranted, and more disapproval than he felt he deserved.

"So," the emperor began. "You got yourself stabbed, did you?"

Wow, way to make it seem like his fault. "Guess I did," Warp muttered. "Don’t... don’t remember much..."

"I’ll enlighten you." After circling around the bed, Zurg settled in a chair beside the window. "You were tasked with guarding the prisoner and bringing him back to me for his execution. What happens? The prisoner and all his ships get away, one of my best scientists is killed, and you’re put out of action right when I need you most! I have half a mind to take away your cake privileges!"

"It... it wasn’t my fault, Z," Warp rasped. _Mother of Venus, I need that water._ He wondered how long he’d been unconscious. "Buzz—er, the prisoner—had... he had help."

Zurg’s sharp eyes met him, fortunately still their natural, non-luminescent red, but still hot enough in expression to make him squirm. "From who, Darkmatter?"

The events were still as much of a blur as that one weekend he’d spent visiting all the clubs on Mahambas VI, but one memory stood out vividly—the familiar voice of free-lance felon Torque, and a face belonging to some young human he didn’t recognise. "I... I don’t know exactly. Torque was there. And... this... this girl. That’s all I remember."

"Hmm." The emperor tapped the yellow grill on his face. "I’ll have to look into this."

At least he didn’t seem angry anymore. Warp sank down further under his blanket. Whatever drugs they were pumping into him weren’t strong enough, because he’d begun to feel a dull ache in his back where he’d been stabbed. "What about me, Z?" he asked. "How... how bad was I hurt? When am I gonna be up and around again?"

"As soon as possible, and don’t you give me any lip about it. I want you back on duty the moment you can stand up and take a step without falling on your face." Zurg twined his fingers together, still glaring at Warp. "This is a very delicate stage in our operation, and I can’t afford to have you slacking off! The doctors say the knife missed your spine, so it can’t be all _that_ serious. I want you on your feet by the end of the week, at latest!"

Warp nodded mutely. Even if he’d had the strength, he knew there was no arguing with Zurg once the emperor had made up his mind.

Rising from the chair, Zurg crossed the room and was about to stride out the ward when he paused in the doorway. "Oh, by the way! I had my PA get you a card and flowers!" From some hidden pocket in his suit, he pulled a crumpled bouquet and a generic card bearing a picture of a kitten on it and tossed them onto Warp’s bed. "Get well soon!"

Zurg left, and Warp picked up the flowers, unsure what to do with them. He sneezed and immediately tossed them aside. Opening the card, he read the printed inscription aloud and snorted. "‘Happy 25th anniversary’. Gee, thanks, Zurg."

* * *

The dust that they stirred rose in great clouds, glinting in the light of the orb and getting into Nebula’s nose and mouth. _You’d think a race that’s always going on about how good cleanliness is would keep their libraries a little less dirty._ He just _knew_ the dust was getting caught up in his moustache and sticking to his skin.

Xlgta had no such problems under her suit, and was flipping through old books and unravelling scrolls in search of something she seemed to think was important to show him. He wasn’t about to stop her—it was about time she started handing out answers, he thought.

Her gloved hands worked quickly through the ancient volumes, and she seemed filled with another of her rapid bursts of energy. She was always left drained after them, but during a bustle of activity she was as fast and strong as Nebula himself, if not stronger. However, her inability to keep up such a pace would be her downfall if they ever came up against each other. Nebula still hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but his patience was wearing thin and he felt a desperate drive to get back to his Rangers and his space station.

"Ah," he heard her murmur. "One of the old books! Well, a copy, most likely." To him most of the books looked old, but he made no comment. She brought out a heavy, cloth-bound tome and set it down on the bench. Layers of dust rose up from it, increasing in density as she pushed the book open. The thick pages had been marked a deep yellow by the ages, and they seemed to creak as she turned them.

Nebula came closer and peered over her shoulder. "Yeah? What’s so special about this book?"

"It contains much of the galaxy’s early history." She was flipping through the pages, sometimes uncovering intricate black sketches, though they passed too quickly for Nebula to make out what they depicted. "I suspect most of this knowledge is now lost to you. Even the greatest events and tragedies are forgotten, with time." She chuckled, but there was a bitter edge to her voice. "The people who lived through the war would never have believed it could fade from history, but all things end, don’t they?"

"Maybe, but hey, we still got a few records of Natron," said Nebula, feeling slightly defensive. "Heck, my Rangers _met_ him!"

Xlgta stopped her perusal of the book and swung her helmet up sharply to face him. "What? This is the first I have heard of this! But... he was sealed... How?" For a moment it sounded like there was genuine fear in her voice.

"Don’t fret about it. He got out, but my Rangers managed to put him back in his tomb, where he can stay and rot till the end of eternity. There’s nothing to worry about, I swear."

Her posture eased slightly, but her hand still hovered above the book, not quite ready to resume. "You are sure he is secure?"

"Hey, if Buzz says he is, then he is, got it?"

She nodded. "I suppose so. But it is a bad omen—a sign that what we have built in the millennia since the war is teetering on a fragile edge." Her fingers continued their journey through the pages. Abruptly they came to a halt and she jabbed a thumb on the paper, tapping it loudly in the quiet chamber. "Here it is!"

Nebula leaned closer to the pages. He could smell the ancient paper, so musty and decayed now. There was some kind of dark sketch inked across both pages, and amongst all the squiggles and dots was more of the twined writing he still couldn’t make head nor tail of. Suddenly he realised what the picture was—a map. Some kind of starchart in fact, showing planets and solar systems and territories.

"This was the galaxy under Natron’s reign, at the height of the war," said Xlgta. "The people of this world—LGMs you call them, because your tongues can’t sing the beauty of their true name—watched, quietly observing all that took place and making notes. They were one of the oldest space-faring civilisations, and they thought themselves exempt from Natron’s conquest." She gestured to the darker shading marking most of the map. "This was Natron’s empire."

"But that’s practically the whole galaxy!" Only a few fringe planets were untouched by the black ink. Nebula shuddered at the thought of one dictator ruling so much. Even Zurg, with both the Zeta and Gamma Quadrants in his grasp, didn’t have that level of control.

"His rule extended further even than this." Xlgta leaned back. "Natron commanded great powers, stemming from the technology his civilisation had pioneered. He could sail between galaxies as quickly as we would cross solar systems. His ambition was to bind the whole universe to his will. My own galaxy fell to him, just as many others did."

So she was from another galaxy? Nebula decided to ignore this revelation for the time being, since he knew pressing her with questions would only get him more silence, or vague and cryptic responses that answered nothing. He focused instead on the bigger issue. "How in blazes could he travel between galaxies? That should take centuries!"

"The trans-spacial network," she told him. "It was a system of tunnels that warped space, leading to any part of the universe he wished to travel to. The knowledge of how it he created the network was lost when Natron fell, but many of the tunnels remain, though few know the locations of their entry points."

Thoughts of Roswell stirred in Nebula’s mind. There was a trans-spacial warp in the Mogul system, discovered by chance when Team Lightyear was rescuing a tour shuttle. It had taken them out of their own galaxy and flung them to the distant planet of Roswell. Star Command still didn’t fully understand how the warp worked—all the probes they’d sent through had either ended up on Roswell or been lost as they were dragged by the spacial currents—but he’d always been curious about it. If they could replicate the system, traditional hyperdrive engines might become a thing of the past. Unfortunately, Zurg seemed to know more about the warps than they did, and had planned to use the one next to Roswell to launch a secret attack on Star Command. Since then, the Mogul system had been cordoned off with alert buoys and was out of bounds to all space travellers.

Nebula squinted at the woman. "So how do you know so much about all this?"

"My people retained some knowledge that your galaxy didn’t. Besides," it sounded like she was smiling, "I am an old woman. I lived closer to these events. I remember things."

"Unless I miss my guess though, you’re not several thousand years old, are you?"

"No. But less generations have passed for my people than for yours. We live a long time."

"Just how old are you anyway? A hundred years? Two hundred?"

"Older than you." She pushed herself up and tapped the book again. "There was a reason I showed you this. I want you to burn this map into your mind and understand one thing—the universe nearly collapsed under the assault of one man. One tyrant bent on immortality set galaxies aflame in his quest for total domination. Nothing was ever the same again. It took centuries to rebuild, and the trust that once existed between the peoples of the universe was shattered. Your own galaxy is only now regaining that trust with your Galactic Alliance. We cannot ever allow this pattern to repeat itself—but already it has started."

"You mean Zurg?" Well, if stopping Zurg was her game, then she could count him in. He didn’t know why she’d bothered with this elaborate charade—all she had to do was ask.

Xlgta nodded slowly. "Sometimes I think he fancies himself Natron’s successor—but superior, of course. An improved model. If he can, he will storm the galaxies just as Natron did. I won’t let that happen."

"You’re preaching to the choir, lady. I’d like nothing better than to bring that freak down."

She seemed to stiffen. "The reason he must not be allowed to succeed," she said, drawing out every syllable, "is precisely because of people like you and your great Buzz Lightyear. Where there is a Natron, there will always be a Protector. And not all are so merciful as to merely entomb their opponents."

* * *

Every morning was the same. She would wake from a troubled sleep, sit up in bed with the covers half draped around her, and wonder why she was still alive—or, more accurately, why she _deserved_ to still be alive. She would sit that way for awhile, staring at the dull, grey morning sky that was still clouded by ash from the attacks, until finally she would rise, get dressed, and wait for breakfast to arrive. After that, she would seat herself by the window and gaze outside again. She was allowed to go out—she had free reign of the Ambassador Hotel, apparently—but never did.

The breakfast stage was already over, so she was sitting by the window now. A strand of hair dropped over her face, obscuring the view of a city that was once so familiar but now so very changed, and she brushed it away. There was a time when the first thing she did in the morning was roll and coif her hair firmly into place, not tolerating a single stray lock. It seemed so hideously trivial now.

Watching from the window, she saw Hornets marching through the streets, and workers tearing down buildings that had been damaged in the attack, probably clearing them so munitions factories could be built in their places. It was hard not to feel the ache of a mother watching a child slip away. Even before she was president, she’d worked hard to strengthen the Alliance into what it was... what it had been. She’d always been one of its staunchest supporters. In the early, rocky days, when half the members were looking for any excuse to declare the whole thing a bad idea and pull out, she’d used her considerable willpower (and multiple mouths) to shout some sense into them and keep the planets together. All her life she’d known galactic politics were her forte, and there’d never been any doubt in her mind that she’d one day be seated in the Senate as president.

_Look at me now._

She wondered how she’d go down in the history books. The president who sold out? The president who lost? The weak president? Would there even be any more real history books, or would they all be written by Zurg?

The opening of the door behind her broke her away from her musings. She didn’t bother turning around. She knew who it was.

"Brought you lunch!" One-Two called. She heard him set a tray down on the table. "Hope you like it!"

Drawing a deep breath, she pulled herself up and padded across the room, falling into the sofa. She wasn’t hungry, but she’d realised not eating wasn’t going to do any good, so she might as well keep her strength up. _For what?_ A frown creased her brow. _What can I do now? What’s the point?_

"Hello," she nodded to the Grub, little enthusiasm warming her voice. Despite having a busy job as Zurg’s personal assistant, One-Two always brought her lunch. She was sure it was beneath his station to do such things, unless directly ordered by Zurg, but he seemed to enjoy talking to her. Back on the Dreadnought, it had been a comfort to have someone to talk to who still possessed something resembling innocence. Now all her words were dried up, and she didn’t have the strength for any more stories about the Galactic Alliance. She hoped he wouldn’t ask. Studying him, she could see there was an eagerness in his eyes, as if he were ready to burst with excitement about something.

"Guess where I went yesterday, before the party!" he grinned.

"Where?" Lifting the lid off the tray, she stared down at the meal and closed it again. Perhaps in an hour she’d have more appetite.

"Everywhere!" The Grub waved his arms around. "Zurg—er, I mean Evil Emperor Zurg—let me explore the city! All by myself!" His voice grew higher in pitch as he continued, barely pausing for breath. "I saw the zoo, and the park, and the shopping malls, and the sports stadium, and the museum, and the big restaurant on Main Street, and the aquarium, and the fire station, and—and—and so many things!" He blushed. "I, er, might’ve stayed out too long... Zurg wasn’t happy..."

She remembered how sheepish he’d been when he’d fetched her for the party the previous evening. His eyes were shining so brightly now, and pain stabbed at her heart again. "Do you like it here?" she asked.

"Oh, yes!" One-Two nodded his head vigorously. "It’s great! Even better than you described!"

"Well, enjoy it while it lasts. Before Zurg ruins anything." The Grub’s expression faltered slightly, but she suddenly didn’t care. Her fists tightened angrily. "This is your victory. You all get to come here, have your fun, and then trash the place. You get to tear down everything we worked so hard to achieve. While you were out galavanting on the town, did you see the people sleeping on the streets because their homes were bombed? And those are the lucky ones who weren’t killed in the attack! Did you have fun at the restaurant while half the galaxy was starving?" She folded her arms. "This isn’t the Galactic Alliance I described! This is its ghost, and even that won’t be around for much longer. Zurg’s gonna transform the whole thing in his image! The Galactic Alliance is just a fading memory now!"

One-Two’s lip quivered. "But... but Zurg says he’s going to leave most of it the way it is!"

"For now—how long before he starts turning this world into another Planet Z? Look, he’s already started!" She gestured to the workers in the street below. "Are you happy now?"

"I... I..." The Grub gulped. "I didn’t mean to offend you, O—" He stopped, seeming to realise he wasn’t supposed to be addressing her in the same respectful, slightly fearful manner he addressed his emperor. "I just wanted to tell you about the good time I had yesterday..."

"Well, you’re lucky. You’re one of the last people who’ll get to enjoy the city the way it used to be, when it was in its prime. That’s a privilege none of its citizens have anymore!"

"I’m sorry!" His round black eyes shining with moisture, the Grub ran out the room.

The former president sat back down. She wasn’t sure if it had been fair to take her bitterness out on the little creature. It wasn’t his fault that her city was lying in ruins. _No,_ she thought, _I know exactly whose fault it is._

* * *

The trip to the hospital had lifted Zurg’s spirits considerably. He hadn’t even known they needed lifting, but much as he hated to admit it, part of him had been just a little concerned for his best agent. Now that he could see Darkmatter was already returning to his cranky, slacking-off old self, he could breathe easier. He didn’t actually care for the man, of course—if there was one thing Zurg did _not_ have or want, it was _friends_ —but it was so hard to find good help, and for all his faults, Warp usually managed to get the job done. Maybe not on time, and maybe not well, but he got it done. Unless it involved Buzz, naturally, but Zurg was used to all plans involving Buzz failing.

_Until now._ He cackled to himself, choosing to suppress the knowledge that Lightyear (both of them) was still at large, and dwelling instead on his recent victory.

Humming to himself and strolling down a hall in the Senate building, he turned a corner and almost collided with Mira Nova.

The Tangean woman jumped, nearly dropping the papers she was clutching, and paused for a moment to collect herself. "Zurg," she said. "I was looking for you."

"That’s Evil Emperor Zurg, and don’t you forget it!" Typical. You promote them to planetary leader and two days later they were already failing to show you proper respect. Employees needed to know their place.

"Sorry, right, _Evil Emperor_ Zurg _._ "

Was that a touch of sarcasm in her voice? Oh, he was going to have trouble with her. Still, her spirited nature _was_ one of the reasons he’d picked her for the job. "Yes, yes, alright, what is it?" he asked. "What did you want? Is my statue ready yet? Tell me it’s ready!"

"Er, not yet, sorry." Mira sighed. "Don’t worry, I’ll get on the artist’s case again later. Look, I have something more important to talk about—"

" _More important?!_ " Did she have any idea how long he’d been planning this? How many sketches he had in his scrapbook of the reborn Imperial Plaza, with a giant, glistening monument to him in its centre? It would be glorious!

"Okay, fine, _equally_ important! Gosh." She rifled through the papers in her arms. "I have some things here that need your signature as well as mine."

"Can’t they wait?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Some of these are orders to send aid to the planets that are suffering the worst from the aftermath of your attacks. People are dying! _They_ certainly can’t wait!"

"Oh, people, shmeople." He waved a hand dismissively. "People are a dime a dozen now that I control an entire galaxy!" Seeing her glare intensify, he sighed dramatically and took the papers from her. "Oh, fine! Have you got a pen?"

She handed him one, and he held the papers to the wall and signed them in a rush of smudged ink. It probably would’ve been a good idea to read through them carefully first—he knew he couldn’t trust Nova an inch, and it would be just like her to try to slip something shady past him amidst a bunch of innocent forms—but he wasn’t in the mood for all that bureaucracy stuff. It had its place, but when you’d just conquered most of the known universe, you didn’t want to be saddled with a million clauses and subparagraphs. Besides, he had his Grubs check over all the paperwork before it was put into effect anyway. Hopefully even his lint-for-brains employees could spot any tricks Nova tried to pull.

"There!" he said, shoving the papers back into her arms. "Is that it?"

"Pretty much." She folded them neatly. "Hope these actually do some good..."

Zurg smiled. He knew he’d picked the right person for the job. As long as there were people suffering, Mira Nova would do her best to protect them. And while she was doing that, she couldn’t be scheming to overthrow him—not when it might endanger the precious citizens she had sworn to protect. And because he held their lives in his hands, she would have to do anything he told her. She was smart enough to get the job done, but bound to serve him by her own foolish compassion—the ideal combination!

"Oh, one more thing," she added. "I, um, I told Ty Parsec he could have his own team. We’re, uh, well, that is, Star Command is a little shorthanded right now, so putting Parsec back in the field will really help. I, uh, already talked to Rocket, and he’s fine with it, so, um, I just need your approval..."

Zurg shrugged. Star Command personnel arrangements interested him even less than Brain Pod life stories and Phlegmian operettas. "Fine, fine. If you think it’s a good idea, go ahead. Just so long as Parsec knows he has to follow the programme— _my_ programme."

"He knows."

"Good. Then I have no objection. Er, he’s free of that Wirewolf curse, isn’t he?"

"Yes," Mira sighed.

"Alright. Well, if that’s all...?"

She nodded.

"Excellent. I’ll be in the lower levels, checking on the renovations. We’re doing a spot of redecorating in the main chamber—I thought it was time I had a throne installed there. Ta-ta!" He whisked away. "And don’t bother me again with all this trivial nonsense! I hired you so _you_ could deal with that!"

He quickened his pace, heading for the elevator. Ah, interior decorating! Now _that_  was important! Nothing like letting your creative juices flow to quell any worries that might— No, he wasn’t going to think about Lightyear. Or about the strange, niggling feelings in the pit of his stomach that he couldn’t put a name to. He was happy! He had everything he’d ever wanted!


	37. Chapter 36

"Checkmate."

"Aw, not again!"

"Hey, that’s just the way it goes, my friend."

"I don’t think you even say checkmate in tic-tac-toe, man." XL folded his arms.

"Are you sure?" XR countered.

"...well, I dunno. Maybe you do. Hmm."

With his brother now pondering that deep question, XR wiped off the chalk on the corridor wall where they’d been playing their game. There was a time when he never would’ve dared deface the hallowed halls of Star Command so brazenly, but now there was no one to bark at him for doing it, so why not? Okay, sure, Rocket would probably get mad if he found out, but XR found his willingness to care what other people thought had diminished rapidly in the past couple of days. _Ever since the battle... since Dad—_ No. He couldn’t think about it. He mustn’t.

"I’m pretty sure checkmate is chess," XL finally announced.

"Yeah, that’s right, bro." He could’ve argued the point, tried to confuse XL a little longer for a few laughs, but he realised he didn’t want to. There was no fun to be found in taking advantage of his older brother’s awkwardness. XL was all he had.

"So... what now?" XL asked.

"Dunno."

They loitered in the hall awhile longer, twiddling their fingers in silence. Rocket had given them both some time off, probably because he felt sorry for them. XR laughed inwardly, wondering what he would do when his leave was up. There was no Team Lightyear for him to go back to. _Mira’s working for Zurg now, and who knows where Buzz and Booster are_. He wished he’d stayed on 42. At least then he’d be with them and actually be _doing_ something.

_Then again, maybe I’d just screw everything up for them like I do for everyone else._ He thought back to the Raenoks and cringed. _Pop was right about me—I’m a walking mechanical failure._

"Hey, is that chalk on the wall?"

XR and XL were both startled by the voice and hastily looked up from where they were sitting. Ty Parsec was staring down at them, arms folded across his chest.

"Uh... no!" said XR. "It’s, uh, flea powder, yeah!"

"Flea powder?"

"Yeah, XL thought he saw a flea!"

XL nodded. "Uh-huh!"

Ty raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t flea powder supposed to go on dogs, not walls?"

"Well... okay, you got us, it’s chalk." XR shrugged. He had at least three other semi-convincing excuses prepared, but what was the point? "I tried to wipe it off."

"Hey, don’t worry about it. With everything going on around here, a little graffiti is hardly the biggest problem we’re facing." Ty squatted down to XR’s height. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah, sure." He folded his arms, not even bothering to hide the glumness in his voice. "Everything’s just great."

Patting his shoulder, Ty offered him a sympathetic smile. "I know there’s nothing I can say that’ll help, but I really am sorry. It’s hitting me hard too, losing the commander."

"At least he wasn’t _your_ dad!" The harshness of XR’s tone surprised even himself. "You have no idea what we’re feeling!" He tried to ignore the voice in his head telling him that people like Ty and Buzz were closer to the commander than he had ever been.

"Okay, okay, I get it." Ty winced. "My dad’s gone too—happened a few years ago. So I actually do have some idea what it’s like. And if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know."

Nodding, XR suddenly felt embarrassed. He scuffed a foot on the polished floor. "Yeah, well. Thanks."

"Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you," the other Ranger continued. "What are your plans for the future?"

XR simply shrugged.

"Yeah, I figured as much. Listen, I’m gonna be assembling my own team. If you want in, I’d be glad to have you."

A new team? XR frowned, examining the idea in his mind. Could he really just throw himself in with three new Rangers and pretend the past few years with Team Lightyear had never happened? Buzz, Mira, and especially Booster had been his three best friends in the whole universe. It just... it couldn’t be right, being with anyone else. Would new people understand him? Laugh at his jokes? Respect him as a person rather than a hunk of metal?

"So, what do you say?" Ty asked.

XR shook his head. "Nah, sorry, pal. You’ll have to look elsewhere. This robot’s got better things to do than go out on boring patrols with you!"

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"Yeah, what?" added XL.

Ah. Now that was the question. "Like... like stuff!"

Ty nodded, clearly not believing a word.

"Well... someone’s gotta look out for Mira!" continued XR, thinking quickly. "Teammates stick together!" _Ha. Fat chance of Mira wanting me around after I blew it with the Raenoks._

"Okay, have it your way." Shrugging, Ty moved on.

When he was gone, XL turned to XR. "I thought you said you weren’t going near Capital Planet again?"

"Uh... change of plans?" XR tried to smile, then sighed. "I dunno, bro. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore."

* * *

It had been a long day. After the cruiser trip from Jo-Ad to Karn, and then a tedious afternoon spent getting everything in order at their new base, Buzz felt ready to drop. He and his Rangers had been on constant alert for dangerous wildlife while they were setting up, and he’d argued more than he would’ve liked with Ozma over all the arrangements. She complained about the Rangers tramping all over what looked like a barren patch of dirt to him, muttering things like "soil compaction" and "disruption of the ecosystem". If anyone so much as sneezed, she hissed at them for scaring the animals. And then there’d been boxes to lug back and forth and tools to hunt for as they conducted some much-needed repairs on the cruisers. Without access to proper equipment and resources, they could only do a few basic patch jobs, but it would have to be enough. Buzz longed for a staff of LGMs to work their magic on his poor, battered ship. Good ol ’42 had seen him through the battle, but she wasn’t looking her best anymore.

At last the moons had risen, casting a pale, delicate light over the jungle, and the crews had all retired to their respective ships. New animal calls replaced the ones they’d heard during the day, and Buzz had the uneasy realisation that these critters sounded even bigger and hungrier than their diurnal neighbours. He wouldn’t want to be out in the jungles of Karn after dark.

He was now finishing a light dinner in Ozma’s dome, alongside Booster. The arguing had stopped, finally, and the trio said little as they cleaned their plates. Booster had brought a bunzel pie his ma had given him before they left, and Ozma took out a few things from her storeroom. Buzz knew her supplies were limited, so he appreciated the gesture.

"You’d better head back to your ship before it gets any darker," Ozma said at last, pushing her chair back and rising to her feet. "I’ll turn on the floodlights, just in case. You never know what’s on the prowl at this time of evening."

"Thanks." Buzz rose as well, and Booster followed him.

Ozma opened the hatch and flicked on a switch, bathing the clearing in blinding white light. It reflected back off the five cruisers, and Buzz had to shield his eyes and squint to make out anything.

"I’ll see you in the morning," the zoologist said.

Buzz nodded. "Booster, you head out to 42. I’ll join you in a moment."

His rookie scampered off, casting a few nervous glances around the jungle. Everything looked quiet. Apparently none of the nocturnal beasts were bold enough to approach the star cruisers.

"Thanks, Ozma." Buzz paused in the doorway. "I know this won’t be easy, but I’m really glad you’re helping us."

Ozma shrugged. "Well, Space Ranger, I suppose I didn’t have a choice—if we don’t kick Zurg out, how am I ever going to get any more funding for my research?"

Buzz smiled. "Yeah, ecological studies aren’t really a priority for him."

"Or you." Ozma smiled back. "But at least you try to understand."

Why couldn’t it be like this all the time? When things were good, he and Ozma were like binary stars in perfect alignment. But that alignment never lasted long. _I guess we’re both just too stubborn._ Maybe he’d work on that. Yeah, when everything was over, he’d put more time into their relationship and figure out how to compromise. There had to be some happy middle ground they could find between their two separate sets of ideals.

"I want you to know..." she said, pausing, seeming to fumble for the right words. "I want you to know that I’m sorry about what happened. And I don’t just mean because it might affect my work here. I’m sorry for your sake, and for everyone else who’s going to suffer under Zurg’s rule. Just because I choose not to be part of the galaxy at large doesn’t mean I don’t care."

"Ha, see, I always knew you weren’t as bad as you keep pretending to be." Buzz flashed her a gentle grin. He reached out tentatively, brushing a hand over her smooth cheek. This sort of mushy emotional stuff didn’t come easy to him. "I’ve missed you, you know, Ozma. It’s good to see you again."

"I suppose we ought to be keeping in touch more." She didn’t object to the hand that had slid up to her short bob of hair, ruffling through it lightly.

"Yeah. My fault, I get carried away with work sometimes." The moonlight shone through the hair, giving it a reddish glow around the edges. Buzz twirled a strand between his fingers.

She shrugged. "It’s not like I’ve been making an effort either. I should be trying harder. Relationships... aren’t really my area of expertise. Well, not unless we’re talking animal mating habits or territorial disputes. But I do want this to work."

Buzz wondered if he was supposed to lean in and kiss her at this point. He honestly didn’t know, even after all this time. It wasn’t like she was his first girlfriend either—he’d had a few, even came close to marriage once ( _that_ hadn’t turned out well at all)—but romance was still a mystery to him. _Give me battles with Zurg any day,_ he thought. Silence settled between them, and the moment slipped away.

"You’d better get some sleep, Mr. Pride of Star Command," Ozma said, gently pulling away. "You’ve got a galaxy to save."

He nodded, feeling vaguely disappointed. "I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks again, Ozma."

"Don’t mention it."

Turning away, he marched through the clearing towards the cruiser, his feet crunching in the dirt. He wondered how she would’ve reacted if he’d kissed her.

* * *

There was no sweeter sight in her life than her plain apartment when she opened the door and switched on the lights. Mira swung the door shut behind her and breathed out. Zurg had offered her a room at the Alliance Plaza Ambassador Hotel—it was closer to the Senate and certainly more luxurious than the simple accommodations her Star Command salary had allowed her—but she’d said no. Staying in the same building as the people who’d caused this whole mess she was having to clean up would’ve been too much. Besides, it was nice to have a little familiarity in her life, even if it was just the dingy walls of her tiny living room and the battered old sofa she liked to crash on after a hard day’s work.

She stumbled through to the kitchen, opening a cupboard and drawing out a thin, curved bottle. It was a present from her father. For special occasions, he’d said. One of the finest vintages in the palace’s cellar. Well, this was hardly a special occasion, but that one bottle was all she had and she needed a drink. Opening the molecular seal, she poured the sparkling blue wine into a glass and downed it in one swallow.

The bubbly liquid warmed her tongue, and she sighed contentedly. Just the thing after a long day. A _very_ long day. _At least I got a few things done,_ she thought. _Maybe it’ll help, I don’t know._ She’d gotten authorisation from Zurg to send aid to the worlds that were really struggling, so that was something. Though, with supplies scarce as they were on Capital Planet itself, and the Alliance’s entire economy in ruins, there wasn’t that much they could spare. One of the other orders that she’d gotten approved had been to send some freighters to Jo-Ad to pick up more food. At least that might help things a little. They were still running short on medical supplies, though.

Leaving the bottle where it stood on the counter, Mira pulled her aching body to her room, tossed off her shoes and jacket, and collapsed onto the bed. She wriggled under the covers, burying her head in the soft pillow. Usually she’d take a shower first, but that could wait until morning. All she wanted now was sleep. _And maybe some good dreams this time._

It was a hot summer night, the kind that reminded her of the tropical warmth of her own world, and mosquitos were buzzing around somewhere in the room. She could already feel the sweat beading on her forehead, but she didn’t care. She wrapped the covers around herself tighter. When she was a little girl, she sometimes used to get scared of the dark and hide herself beneath layers of blankets. The monsters couldn’t get her then.

Through her window, she could see the lights of the city twinkling brightly. But not as many lights as there used to be. She supposed she was lucky that her apartment had come through the battle unscathed. It was hard to take pleasure in that luck, though, when so many people had lost their lives.

_Buzz, where are you?_ She gazed up at the stars. _We need you._ I _need you. I don’t know how long I can do this on my own._

There was a loud hammering on the door.

"Huh? Wha—?" Mira pulled herself upright.

The door opened. "Hey, Mira."

"XR! _What_ are you doing here?" She stared at the little robot silhouetted within the doorframe. It was a good thing she hadn’t bothered to undress properly, she thought, frowning at him.

"Oops." He laughed nervously. "Didn’t know you were sleeping—is this a bad time?"

"XR, it’s late! How did you even get in here?"

"You left the door unlocked."

"And you thought it would be a good idea to just waltz right in?"

"I wanted to see you."

Sighing through gritted teeth, Mira pulled back the covers and rolled out of bed. _Ugh, I am_ not _in the mood for this._ She padded on bare feet across the carpet, leading XR out her bedroom and into the main living area. The lights were still on and brighter than she would’ve liked them to be. She blinked as she adjusted to the glare, her headache growing worse. "Okay, what is it?" she demanded, settling on the sofa.

XR looked a the floor, wringing his round, purple hands. "Well, uh, first of all, I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about what happened with the Raenoks. I didn’t mean to screw it up for you..."

She stared at him. "Is THAT all? You burst into my apartment while I’m trying to sleep for _that_?!" Okay, maybe she was overreacting, and maybe XR was right to feel the need to apologise—while he may not have meant to, he _had_ ruined her one chance of securing outside help. But for Venus’s sake, it could wait until morning!

Realising XR was cringing slightly, Mira relaxed her glare and shrugged. "Okay, look, apology accepted. I don’t even know if I could’ve gotten the Raenoks on our side anyway. Probably doesn’t matter." She couldn’t hold it against him. He was her teammate, and her friend. Maybe the only real friend she had left.

The robot nodded, looking relieved. "I also thought I should let you know that, uh, y’know, I’m here if you need me. I suppose you probably don’t, but if you do... I want to help you. I’m gonna be staying on Capital Planet. Star Command’s too... too empty now."

"Yeah, okay." She smiled. "Thanks, XR, I appreciate that." _Just don’t get underfoot, please. I don’t need any more hassles._

"I’ll—I’ll protect you," XR added. "You’re looking out for the Alliance, but someone needs to look out for you. That’s what teammates do."

"Sure." Leaning forward, she patted his dome and got up. The bottle was on the counter where she left it, and she poured another glass. "Oh, XR," she sighed, taking a sip. "What are we going to do? How do we fix all this?"

Her friend’s eyes returned to the floor. "Eh... who knows. We’ll find a way though, won’t we, Mira?"

"I don’t know. I used to believe there was always a way out, but now..." What had happened to the beautiful, glorious days of fighting the bad guys, saving the day, and laughing about it all over milkshakes at Cosmo’s? Less than two weeks before, that was the life she was living. It felt like it would never end. But everything ended eventually, and sometimes it happened faster than you could ever imagine.

"There’s still Buzz..." said XR.

"Yeah. I guess." _Please, Buzz, please help us._

"If... if we can defeat Zurg, what do you think will happen then?" XR asked.

"I dunno. Haven’t really thought that far." Her laugh was hollow. "Gotta work on that defeating Zurg part first, y’know?"

"It won’t be the same again, will it? I mean, the commander’s gone, and... and everything’s just a big mess."

Mira finished her drink and put the glass down. _No more tonight, got work to do in the morning._ "We’ll sort it out. Somehow. The most important thing is that we get rid of Zurg."

"Any ideas?"

"Not yet." _Guess the Raenoks are out now, so we’re on our own._ "But one thing we’re not going to do is give up. We’re Space Rangers." No nightmare of a desk job filled with red tape and panicky senators could ever change that. She was Ranger Mira Nova of Star Command.

"Yeah," XR nodded, looking less convinced. "Space Rangers."

* * *

Deep in Sector 18, located between two gas giants and a sizable asteroid belt, was the Humanitez colony. On its surface—amidst sandy cliffs, rocky beaches, and the bluest oceans that side of the quadrant—lay the Niguriz settlement, where colonists from Niguriz Prime lived out their new lives. It was a recent colony, founded when the homeworld decided it was time to expand their horizons as all space-faring societies did eventually. They were still a young people, primitive compared to many of their fellow Alliance members, but with an eagerness and enthusiasm that some of the older civilisations had lost. The colonists weren’t refugees of any sort, escaping from some miserable background. They were delighted explorers venturing forth into the unknown, searching for new wonders.

Karoi had been too young to think about any of that when she’d left Niguriz, of course. It had been her family’s choice to start a new life in the stars, not hers, but she’d never had any cause to feel bitter about it. She loved this beautiful world, where you were always in walking distance of the shore and could dangle your feet in the water or spear fish for supper.

Her only cause for complaint was that her mother still didn’t let her explore the crumbling cliffs on the south shore or stray too far from home, even now that she was almost old enough to be brought before the employment council and assigned her first community tasks. But that one restriction was all that marred the otherwise wonderful life Humanitez offered. She could spend hours in the glades around the town, sinking into mossy hollows with a datapad in hand, reading about far off worlds while a breeze carried the salty smells of the sea to her nostrils. So much better than the boring cities on Niguriz that she only half-remembered.

She was in one of the shaded glades that morning, resting her head on an algal rock and scrolling through the text on her pad. It was a novel about the Space Ranger Corps, following the adventures of a fictional team as they battled evil. She’d never seen a Space Ranger, but she’d heard lots of stories about them. They’d even saved the colony once, when a sickness was sweeping through the townspeople and the medical ship sent to help them had been attacked by Zurg. Team Lightyear— _the_ Team Lightyear—had stopped Zurg and escorted the ship safely to the colony. She wished the Rangers had set foot on the surface so she could’ve seen them. It would’ve been the best day of her life.

Maybe they’d come again some time. She’d asked her mother that very morning if the Space Rangers were likely to visit again soon, but her mother had just told her to be quiet. It was strange. Her mother wasn’t usually so short-tempered, even when she was busy with work. And her fathers had been acting different too. One of them had been talking earnestly to her mother about something, wearing a frown on a face that was normally all smiles. He’d fallen silent as soon as Karoi had walked by. When she’d asked what they were talking about, they’d just replied that it was nothing important. She was sure she’d heard them mention the name Zurg, though. And then there was her other father, so serious and distant, who’d suddenly taken to hugging her and telling her with tears in his eyes that he’d make sure nothing ever happened to her. She didn’t understand it

Had something happened in the last few days? Something they weren’t telling her? Whatever it was, it was affecting the other grown-ups too. They all walked about like ghosts, never laughing or waving hello to her as she ran through the town on some misadventure. And she’d noticed that her parents never turned on the news anymore.

_I’m sure it won’t last, whatever it is,_ she decided. So there was no point in worrying about it. Instead, she’d just keep reading about Space Rangers and aliens and space pirates and all the other wonderful things that existed in the world of fiction.

Humanitez was a lonely, out of the way planet which didn’t get many visitors. Karoi had reluctantly accepted that she was unlikely to see many offworlders until she was old enough to go on trips outside the solar system. Space travel was something she never doubted for a moment she would get to do, of course. In fact, when it was her turn at the employment council, she was going to ask for an apprenticeship with Pilotmaster Jeron. Maybe she’d be flying ships amongst the stars all by herself one day!

So, since it was such an isolated planet, she was totally unprepared for the sight of a dozen—no, more than a dozen—aliens of various species emerging from the thick undergrowth around the glade. The datapad dropped from her hands and she scrambled to her feet.

One man strode forward, possessing the air of a leader. He was a recognisable species—human—and had the hardest eyes she’d ever seen. An odd thought occurred to her—he looked a bit like Captain Buzz Lightyear. More than a bit, actually, if you ignored the beard. His space armour was no Ranger suit, however, and she felt that Buzz Lightyear would have a kinder face. Heroes always had gentle smiles and a twinkle in their eyes, didn’t they? This man had neither and oh dear he was suddenly pointing a blaster at her.

"Kid," he said, jabbing her in the shoulder with the gun. "What’s your name?"

"K-Karoi. I’m Diso Ur Karoi."

"How many people are in this town?"

She frowned. "I-I don’t know, sir—it’s a small town. It’s, um, not as big as the one over the next hill. I can take you there, sir, if you like—my mother lets me go that far."

"You think I care where your mother lets you go?" He slammed the barrel of the gun against her cheek, and she stumbled down into the mossy dirt, blood dripping from her lips.

"Hey!" one of the other offworlders shouted. It was a girl, a few years older than Karoi, and human just like the man. She wondered for a moment if the girl was his daughter, because they shared the same dark-blue hair. "No one gets hurt, okay! She’s just a kid!"

The man turned and looked at the girl the way one looked at an insect they were about to step on. "And so are you, so shut up. We’re taking this town, one way or another."

"Doesn’t mean we have to hurt anyone! There are other ways, you know!"

"Is that what _he_ taught you?" The man laughed. "Guess you still haven’t left behind all your Junior Ranger training yet."

"All I’m saying is—"

The man grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her forward. Karoi remained where she’d fallen, lying on her back and propping herself up with her hands as she stared up at the strangers. Who were they? She realised her heart was beating very fast.

"Kid, I like you. You’ve got style—you’ve got potential. I could use you, oh I could really use you in my plans. But you can’t wimp out on me now." He thrust the blaster into her hands. "Here. Come on. This brat’s not gonna be any use to us, and we can’t risk her sounding the alarm. Get rid of her."

"What?!" The girl tried to shove the gun back to him. "No, I can’t!"

"Yes," he ground his teeth together, "you can. It’s easier than you think." He pushed up her arms, aiming the gun straight at Karoi.

_I have to get out of here. I have to go find Mother and warn her! I need to get help!_ If only there were Space Rangers around, like there always were in stories when trouble arose. Karoi wanted to run, but the whole clearing was surrounded by these menacing strangers.

"I’m not going to do it!" the girl shouted.

The man smiled and leaned over her, lifting his finger to the trigger while she still held the gun. She struggled against him, trying to drop the weapon, but he kept it steady and pressed the trigger down. "Like I said, it’s easy."

The recoil of the gun sent the older girl reeling back, but Karoi barely had time to notice this before she was knocked into the ground by the bolt and her chest burned, it burned so much...

_Why aren’t the Space Rangers here?_ Her eyes slid closed.


	38. Chapter 37

Nebula had to admit, the quarters they’d set up for him were pretty decent, considering how hard it was to find a bed large enough for a normal-sized person on that planet. Normal was relative, of course—to the LGMs he was probably the weird one for being so big. Either way, it was good to be able to stretch out. He wasn’t so keen on the location—he’d been given a chamber in the catacombs, and they were just as dark and dusty as they’d been when he arrived—but the lamps the LGMs had provided made the place a bit more homey, and he was slowly getting used to it. He still didn’t know where Xlgta slept. Somewhere else in the catacombs, probably. If she slept at all.

Suspicion was still gnawing at his gut. He couldn’t trust her, that much was certain. She still hadn’t elaborated on her exact intentions or what her connection to Zurg was, but he reckoned it was nothing good. And on top of everything else, he just couldn’t bring himself to trust someone without looking them in the eye first. He didn’t even know if she _had_ eyes.

_This whole business stinks,_ he thought gloomily.

Getting offworld wasn’t looking too hopeful, unfortunately. None of the LGMs were offering any help, and though he knew Xlgta had to have a ship somewhere nearby, his searches had all proved fruitless. Even worse, he was pretty sure she knew what he was up to, and the old woman seemed amused by it.

_Just you wait_ , he thought, grinding his teeth together. _Just you wait, lady. Nebula doesn’t give up that easily._

Getting out of bed, he yawned and pulled on his suit. Even in the dark, with no windows to provide a view of the outside world, he knew it was morning without having to check his suit’s chronometer. His instincts had been honed well over the years, and his body clock never failed him. When he reached the main chamber there’d probably be an LGM waiting for him with breakfast. He didn’t care much for the cuisine on their planet, but what could you do? Give him Star Command field rations any day.

He plodded down a stone passage, holding up an electric lantern. The path was familiar now, so he probably didn’t need it, but he’d be darned if he was going to stub his toes in the dark.

_Wonder what all these tunnels were for._ Xlgta said they were built during the war with Natron, but she’d never told him their exact purpose. A hiding place, maybe? Not a very good one, he figured, unless the tunnels were shielded from sensors.

Just as he’d predicted, he met an LGM with a tray of food at the top of the stairs. Grabbing a bowl of grey, unappealing mush, he strode through into the library. Xlgta was sitting there as she always seemed to be, her helmet buried behind the covers of a book.

"Morning," he grunted, taking a seat beside her. He wondered what would happen if he suddenly overpowered her and demanded she take him to her ship. Most likely she’d refuse, even if he threatened her life. She had a very definite stubborn streak.

"You are always up so early," she remarked, not raising her head from the book.

"Space Ranger. Used to getting up at the crack of dawn. Besides," he added, "you’re always up _earlier._ "

"I used to make my army get up long _before_ the crack of dawn. My troops were among the most disciplined in the universe."

"Your troops, eh? What are you, a commander? A general?"

She lowered the book. "My army is long gone. I command nothing."

"Retired, huh?"

"Oh, never that," she laughed.

He shrugged. "Me neither." They’d have to drag him from his command kicking and screaming before he let it go.

There was a scurrying in one of the passages. An LGM appeared, its three eyes quickly seeking out Xlgta. "There is neeews," it announced.

Xlgta didn’t seem to be paying attention. Her gaze remained on the book, and she pulled it closer to her face, gripping the covers tightly.

The LGM coughed. "Neeews."

"Oh? What?" She glanced at it.

"Zuuurg."

That got a reaction from her. She sat up straighter. Nebula put down his breakfast and folded his arms. "What’s the bucket-head done now?"

"We have received word he is sending a shiiip," said the LGM. "Soon this planet will be added to his empire."

Xlgta nodded. "We knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time."

That was a severe under reaction if he ever saw one. Maybe she was okay with Zurg getting his agents on the LGM homeworld, but Nebula was far from keen on the idea himself. If Zurg found out he was there, he was as good as dead. He wondered if Xlgta had any similar fears, or if she was somehow in league with the emperor. He couldn’t figure it out. "So what are we gonna do about it?" he demanded. "Jump planet?"

"Yes," Xlgta answered.

Nebula blinked. "Whoa, just like that? Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s the right idea, but I didn’t expect you to agree. I thought you had some special work to do here or something."

"I do, which is why we will not be leaving _just_ yet." She clasped her hands together, resting them on the book on her lap. "Praise all the ancient gods though, I’ve finally found what I sought in this library."

Frowning, Nebula looked from her to the book. It was just another dusty history volume, nothing special. "Which is...?"

"A name. A name that hasn’t been uttered in a very long time."

* * *

_Thank the galaxy for nanosurgery,_ Warp thought, taking another swig of his coffee. Huh. It actually tasted good. That was a first. _Standards at the Ambassador Hotel must be higher than on Planet Z._

Through a combination of treatments from Alliance doctors and Brain Pods, he’d gotten back on his feet long before the end of the week, which meant facing Zurg’s wrath was one less thing he had to worry about. Not that he was quite ready to return to duty; the doctors had warned him he needed another day or two of rest, though he would’ve gladly taken a whole month. But at least he could walk and his back wasn’t killing him anymore. They’d kicked him out of his ward that morning and he’d been assigned a room at the hotel that Zurg had commandeered.

_Nice place, this. I could get used to this kind of living._ It wouldn’t last long, of course. Zurg would probably want to return to Planet Z asap. _Better enjoy it while it lasts._

"Agent Darkmatter!" The squeaky Grub’s voice was familiar in its exuberance. He glanced down at the little fellow walking past with a tray.

_Must be that new assistant of Zurg’s._ "Hey."

The Grub seemed to take that as an invitation and jumped into the seat across from him, setting its tray down on the table. "Good morning!"

"Eh, quit it," said Warp, holding a hand over his ear. "D’you have to be so loud this early in the day? Zurg’s not here, you know! You don’t have to play the happy little employee game with me."

"Sorry." The exuberance dropped away more abruptly than it had appeared. "Just a habit."

Warp studied the Grub. "You okay?"

"It’s... er, it’s nothing."

"Whatever." He rested his chin in his hand, staring unseeingly at the breakfast room around him. "So, how’s it going around here? Good, right? Looks like we’re really making ourselves at home."

The Grub nodded. "Evil Emperor Zurg has fully subdued the planet and the entire Galactic Alliance, just as he always said he would."

"‘Bout time, if you ask me." _Maybe a little too late._ Warp suddenly wished he could roll back the years and have it all happen much sooner. Maybe then he could’ve enjoyed it. "So, uh, have they caught Lightyear yet? Either of them?"

"No." The Grub gulped. "I would suggest not bringing this subject up around Emperor Zurg..."

"Hey, do I look like an idiot to you? I haven’t survived Zurg this long without knowing which buttons not to push." Warp leaned back. "Any leads?"

"Not yet. We have ships out hunting, but..."

Warp nodded. "I know, this is Buzz Lightyear we’re talking about. Even when he’s evil, he’s still too good for the rest of us." There was a time when his pride would never have let him admit that, but it was true—Buzz was better than him. Better than any of them, except maybe Zurg, and even then he had his doubts. The emperor could be pretty spectacular when he chose to be, but winning this final battle had been down to sheer luck and superior firepower more than anything else. Actually, hell, it was still down to Buzz. The evil one, but Buzz all the same.

He realised he was getting nervous. He didn’t like to think about the alternate Lightyear being out there, free as a stray photon particle and ready to strike at any moment. _I shouldn’t have let him get away._ Now Lightyear had escaped, Brain Pod 17 was dead, and he was still recovering from a knife-sized hole in the back.

"Do you... do you think we did the right thing?"

Warp turned back to the Grub, narrowing his eyes at it. It was playing with its food, barely nibbling any of it. "What are you talking about?"

The Grub gulped. "Nothing... I was just thinking..."

"Don’t. That’s not what you’re paid for." _Craters, I sound like Zurg now._

Shifting the fork around its tray, the Grub looked up at him with big black eyes. "When both Lightyears and their accomplices are apprehended and destroyed, what do you think will happen?"

"Zurg’ll have finally beaten the system once and for all, I guess. The ultimate victory." _Just what we’ve all always wanted, right?_

"But... but will it be better? Will it be good?"

"Huh?"

The Grub folded its little arms. "Will it be worth it? Did we really... er, win? You know, make things better...?"

"For us? Sure." Warp shrugged. "That’s what counts. No more worrying about Star Command, no more battles. Just the good life from now on, doing whatever we want. No one’s gonna stop us." He knew that wasn’t entirely true. _Zurg_ could do what he wanted, but the rest of them would still have to obey orders and probably get assigned the usual tedious grudge work. _But at least the Galactic Alliance is out of the way. And I’m on the winning side. I need to remember that._ He grinned at the Grub. "It’ll be better, trust me."

* * *

She couldn’t believe she’d finally found it. Xlgta stared at the page once again, as if the words might have melted away while she wasn’t looking. No, still there. She’d definitely found it.

Her hands traced over the cover of the book. It was old, centuries older than even she was, and that was saying something. But still not as old as she’d expected. She thought she’d find the name in one of the ancient scrolls, but instead it was in a simple history book, cataloguing the events of the war. It was very thorough—the LGM that had written it had researched each note extensively before jotting it down. She supposed the name must’ve still existed back then on some fragment of paper, and the histographer had found it and added it to the annals. _Good for them. Even better for me._ She closed the book with a snap, and dust flurried up from its pages. _Now I have what I need._

There was still the main task left undone, however. She hadn’t come to the planet of the Little Green Men just for a name. The name was merely a key. No, she was after something much greater.

"Is it ready?" she asked the LGM standing on the platform beside her.

"Yeees." The short being shifted, looking at her with an uneasy face. "Are you suuure?"

"I always am." _Not always right, but I’m always convinced that I am._

"Then we can proceeeed." The LGM stepped forward, yellow light playing over their face as they reached out and touched the pulsating surface of the orb that was their Uni-mind. "We are one. We are ooone."

The Uni-mind hummed louder. They let go, a sophomoric smile spread over their face. "It is now open to youuu."

"Good. Thank you, my friend. If I ever see Nick again, I will tell him how well you have all served me." She knew it was Nick’s good word that had gotten her their support, and the LGM beamed even brighter at her praise. Even now, they were still loyal to their Protector.

Xlgta took a deep breath, feeling the strain on her old ribs as her chest rose and fell. _I have faced the hordes of the enemy at the pits of Xothal. This is nothing. I held my beloved empress and watched her die, too late to save her. Nothing. I am not frightened._ With care, she removed her left gauntlet, letting it drop to the floor. Her skin had cracked like the bark of a dying tree, and her nails were chipped and brittle. Once they had been sharp enough to claw an assailant’s eyes out. She wondered if it would hurt to touch it. It looked like it would burn...

Stepping forward on unwilling feet, she extended her arm, feeling energy crackling around her as her hand neared the orb. It beat like a living heart. _I will do this. I must. For you, my empress._ She touched the yellow sphere. It looked as if it would be hard, just as the smaller psytronic spheres were. But it rippled like the surface of a pond, giving way beneath her hand. Suddenly her body was alive like it had never been before, nearly bursting with electricity. _If this is how connecting always feels, I now know why so many train to become Guardians of the Uni-mind._ Yet amidst the pleasure and the singing in her ears, there was also a deep, troubled moan. And hidden behind that she could almost hear screams.

_I must focus._ She shut her eyes, closing herself away from the yellow-and-green light show going on around her. _Connect. Connect._

She searched in the blackness of her mind, and suddenly it was there. A tiny spark in the dark. No, not a spark, a silver thread. She grabbed hold of it, and then her mind flooded with white light. The connection was open.

_I wish to commune with you._

Silence.

_I’ve come a long way, seeking knowledge._

Silence.

_I have a promise to keep, and I need your help._

Silence.

_I know the word. I have the key._

The light in her head seemed to glow a little brighter.

_Runa’recorlai-na’mav’ii._

She was glad she only had to think it, for even her dexterous tongue would have struggled to pronounce it. The language of the LGMs always had been more mental than verbal anyway. Maybe that was why their names were always so bloody complicated.

The glistening whiteness transformed into a doorway. _Come,_ a voice echoed from within.

She stepped through, and realised she was doing the same thing in the physical world as well. Her sensations were numbed, but she could feel the orb opening up for her, softening its exterior to let her through. It was like walking into a giant pudding.

The walls closed up once she was in, and she had to fight back the feeling of being trapped, drowning. The intensity of the energy crackling inside the sphere made her think of a thunderstorm. She was in a cloud and lightning was flashing all around her. It did burn this time, but she wasn’t sure she minded. There was just so much... so much _everything._ She could feel a million minds all linked inside this one hub. _So many thoughts._ They were all running through her, and it seemed she would almost burst from the force of it. And it also felt as though she were being torn apart, every little thing that made her who she was being shredded and circulated around the pulsating sphere.

_Where are you,_ she screamed into the light.

_We are here._

She sensed it. A mind so big and yet split into so many thousands of tiny fragments, in much the same way she feared she might be if she stayed inside too long. _You are the One?_

_We are the One. No, I..._ I _am the One._ A pause. _My name... you knew it._

_Yes._

_It has been a long time since I heard it._

She didn’t doubt it. _I had to speak to you._

_What do you need?_

There was a gentle probing of her mind. She knew the consciousness could rip away any thoughts it wanted, but it was holding back, letting her choose what to share and only touching her thoughts very gently, like the soft caress of a mother over her newborn’s head.

_I’m not the first to be here_ , she told it.

_No. There was one other—the good one. The one who would never give up. His light was very bright when his mind shone inside mine._

So it was true. She’d heard Buzz Lightyear had entered the Uni-mind to repair it from Zurg’s corruption. _He is not the one I seek._

_Then who?_

_You were touched by a different mind. He rewrote your very core and made you into his own image._

She heard—or maybe felt, all her senses had blurred together—a sigh that held both weariness and pain. _Yes. There was one who did this._

_He is the one I want. Does any of him still live within you?_

_Every mind I have ever touched still exists inside me,_ the One told her. _Many are long dead, but their memories live on. I remember it all. Or I did... I don’t know..._ It sounded almost frightened for a moment.

_You lose the memories sometimes?_ Xlgta asked.

_Everything fades in time. But I cling to what I can. And the recent memories are always strong. Do not worry, the remnants—the fingerprints—of the one you seek are still here._

She braced herself. _Show me._

_If I were to pour every thought and feeling he left behind into you, it would burn you up. Life is so fragile. We—I—have learned the value of being careful._

_Then do it slowly. But do it._

There was a pause. _I shall give you the memories, but they will be locked, on the edge of your mind where you can only skim across the surface. You will have to go through them one by one—never all at once. The flood of so many thoughts would kill you._

_Very well._ So this was it. All traces of Zurg that had been left in the Uni-mind would be hers. Everything she needed for her plans to succeed. _Do it._

The arcs of electricity that buzzed everywhere all coalesced into one solid stream and slammed into her. The jolt made her gasp. Power flooded through her body, carrying with it whispers of a mind that was not her own. She wanted to scream, but there was no air inside the sphere to carry the sound.

It ended just as suddenly as it had begun, and she found herself staggering back out the Uni-mind. The energy was letting her go.

_Thank you,_ whispered the One. _Thank you for using my name. It was good to remember who I was again._

Then she was on the ground, breathing heavily and coughing while several LGMs formed a worried circle around her and checked her vital signs. It hurt too much to move.

She realised she was clasping something in her ungloved hand. Looking down, she saw a small, yellow orb pulsing in her grasp. It must have come from the heart of the Uni-mind. _One final gift,_ she thought. _Thank_ you _, Runa’recorlai-na’mav’ii._ She now had the last thing she needed.

* * *

Nebula wandered through the village square, hearing insects buzzing in the potted shrubs that stood beside every street corner. He passed a small wooden stand where an LGM was handing out oblong red fruits of some kind to anyone who passed by. There didn’t seem to be any exchange of currency. Nebula couldn’t remember if the LGMs used money or not. It’d been a long time since the Galactic Alliance had surveyed the planet, and few offworlders had visited since then. _They don’t like people snooping around here,_ he remembered. _Prefer to keep to themselves._ That was why it was the only planet in the Alliance not to have foreign ambassadors on its soil. _All part of the special deal._

There were details he still wasn’t privy to—at the time the LGM’s induction into the Alliance had been negotiated, he’d just been another soldier providing security for the diplomats—but he knew the gist of it. Part of him still felt a little guilty when he strolled through the halls of Star Command and saw dozens of LGMs hard to work, but they seemed to enjoy what they did. _The arrangement worked out well for all of us._

The Uni-mind had been a lucky find by the expedition that had made first contact. The LGMs had tried desperately to conceal it and begged the survey team not to report their findings, but of course it was all in vain. Next thing the Little Green Men knew, the Alliance was sending scientists over to study it and there was even talk of taking the sphere back to Capital Planet. Only when the LGMs had agreed to join the Alliance and share their knowledge and their workforce did the Alliance leave them alone and promise never to tell the rest of the galaxy about their precious Uni-mind.

_It shouldn’t have happened like that,_ Nebula thought, his brow furrowing. _But times were different back then. We’re better than that now._ Besides, Zurg had done far worse.

He continued walking. It was a beautiful day, just like every other day. Did they ever have bad weather on this planet? His boots clattered on the cracked stone streets. All the architecture looked so ancient, yet it had clearly been maintained and kept strong and functional. He got the sense that it was done with love. The LGMs seemed to have a deep respect for the past. The town was certainly a lovely place, brimming with beauty and colourful little sights. But he wasn’t a tourist and didn’t have time for things like that when the galaxy needed saving. And more than that, he sometimes got the creeps looking at all the LGMs. They were all so... identical. He hoped it wasn’t just a case of "all aliens look alike"—that attitude belonged in the past, and he liked to think he was better than that too. But it really was disconcerting to walk amongst a race of beings who didn’t seem to vary one iota from each other.

"Floweeers?" he heard an LGM call from another stand. "Do you want some floweeers?"

"No thanks." Nebula marched past without a second glance. He snorted. Flowers. He had more important things to think about.

Finally bored with exploring the town, he returned to the underground chamber. When he reached the end of the stairs and entered the hall of the Uni-mind, his eyebrows rose in surprise. There was Xlgta, stretched out on the floor, with a dozen LGMs attending her. He rushed over.

"Something wrong?" A quick assessment told him she had no visible signs of injury. She had quickly pocketed something small and round that appeared to glow. He wondered what it was. His eyes suddenly fell on her left hand and he realised her glove was off. _What are you, Xlgta?_ This was his first real glimpse at what she looked like underneath her suit. The skin was a dull lilac, and clearly belonged to someone very old. There were sharp claws on her fingers, or the remains of them anyway. But it wasn’t enough to identify her species.

"Commander Nebula." She pulled herself to her feet, sounding pained. Her breathing was loud and raspy as she bent to the floor and picked up her left gauntlet, slipping it back on. "I am glad you have come. I was about to send a messenger to find you."

"What’s going on?"

She dusted herself off. "We are leaving. Follow me—we shall go to my ship."

_The ship._ Nebula hurried after her, feeling a surge of hope. _Finally, a way off this rock._ Perhaps his big chance had come at last.


	39. Chapter 38

"Closer, closer! Just a little more... yes, that’s it—stop! Perfect." Zurg put his hands on his hips, taking a step back to get the full view. It was magnificent. Nova had finally gotten the artist to deliver on the promised sculpture, and _gee whiz_ , had the artist delivered! Twenty feet of solid Verdentian marble, polished so smooth the Imperial Plaza reflected off it, and such a pure white that it was nearly blinding to look at as it glistened in the sun. The features were accurate too. Zurg looked up at his stone effigy, which stood in a determined pose with one hand outstretched, grasping a miniature Capital Planet in an iron grip. His cape was spilling out behind him, flapping in an imaginary wind.

 _Perfect._ Zurg rubbed his palms together. _If they ever need a reminder of just who_ _is in charge around here, this’ll give it to them!_

A crowd had gathered to watch as the statue was set in place in the main square, and Zurg was pleased to note the many varied expressions on their faces. Some looked terrified, some angry, and most simply looked tired. _These people are already halfway towards total submission._ He knew there were bound to be a few troublemakers and the occasional upstart trying to launch a rebellion, but his devastation of the planet had proven very effective in breaking the population’s will.

 _Soon my work here will be done, and I can return to Planet Z._ He longed for its bleak embrace. _Once everything’s fully under control it’ll be back to my palace for more scheming, treachery, and popcorn shrimp!_

Though, come to think of it, there wasn’t much to scheme about just now. No Star Command to fight and no Galactic Alliance to conquer. Zurg frowned. _Maybe I’ll need to take up a new hobby._ _At least Buzz Lightyear is still free._ He blinked. _Did I say at least? That’s not what I meant!_

He shifted uncomfortably and tried to forget it. "Alright, showtime is over, you quivering, useless members of the excess population!" he called, waving his hands in the air at the crowd. "Go back to your dreary lives!"

A snap of his fingers brought his Grubs and Hornets to attention, and he let them escort him in a dignified silence back to the Senate building. Once inside, he dismissed his attendants and wandered through the lofty halls by himself. The renovations were coming along swimmingly; already he’d transformed the place into a den of evil splendour. The walls were dark and depressing, the luxurious carpets were gone—everything was as it should be. A pity, almost. He’d been enjoying the redecorating and would miss having that diversion.

He trod down another corridor, passing a door to the Senate chamber. It was closed because the Senate was in session. Somewhere inside there, Mira Nova was dealing with the squabbling, pathetic rabble that the Galactic Alliance had chosen as representatives. He snorted. _Better her than me._

Politics was a game like any other, and he knew all the rules. In fact, he was very good at it. Even enjoyed it sometimes, when he could pull all the right strings in all the right ways. But it got tedious after a few rounds. Though he himself was a political figure, his stomach always turned around politicians. _Hypocrites, all of them._ Their sole purpose was supposed to be to serve the people, but there were few individuals as self-serving as politicians. Or as dishonest. Zurg prided himself in being open about his nature. He didn’t pretend he was there to help anyone but himself.

If he could have, he would’ve sent the lot of them to the new labour camps and factories and mines he was setting up. _That would teach them a thing or too._ Unfortunately, his empire was now too big for him to govern alone, which made these leeches a necessary evil. _Never liked that phrase, necessary evil,_ he thought. _You can tell it was made up by some goody two-shoes who never realised that all evil is necessary._

He continued his path down the hall, not sure where he was going. Even with the new paint job, he realised he still didn’t feel like he belonged there. It wasn’t home, it was the Galactic Alliance. The Alliance now existed as a part of his empire, but it would take decades to remove the stain left behind by people like Lightyear.

There were hurried footsteps up ahead and Senator Hammerhold suddenly appeared, apparently late for the Senate meeting. He hesitated when he saw Zurg, avoiding his eyes and edging as far around him as he could. Zurg shot him a sly sneer. At least they were all afraid of him, as they should be.

The hall ended at a flight of stairs and a row of doors connecting to the offices of the various dignitaries that infested the building. Zurg considered going up the stairs, then shook his head and turned around. He’d wanted to get away from the eyes of the crowd, but there was nothing within the Senate that he wanted to see. _Been there, done that._ He’d already explored every inch of it and remade it in his image.

 _What is this,_ he wondered, slowly retracing his path down the corridor. _This... monotony? Victory isn’t supposed to get tedious!_

Not that he would know. He’d never drunk from the cup of victory so long and so well before. Had he already had his full?

 _Nonsense!_ He suddenly had a whole new sandbox to play in, and all the toys the galaxy had to offer. How could you get bored with that?

 _It’s this blasted Senate that’s getting to me. I’m surprised there aren’t dusty skeletons sitting in that Senate chamber by now, the remains of boredom’s previous victims._ The simple fact was that, despite everything Lightyear would’ve claimed, Capital Planet was a very dreary place, and nowhere was more dreary than the Senate building.

_I have a whole galaxy out there waiting for me. What am I still doing here?_

"Grubs!" he called, clapping his hands. A metal twang reverberated in the narrow corridor. "GRUBS!"

Five of them seemingly popped out of nowhere, like literal grubs emerging from the woodwork. They all bowed obediently. "We live to serve, O Evil Emperor."

"You’d better believe it. Grubs, have my shuttle prepared for launch! I’m going for a little outing."

* * *

"What are we looking for?"

"Hold on. You’ll see."

"Ozma, come on, we’ve been here an hour!"

"Just a little longer..."

Buzz sighed and shifted, trying to shake the cramps from his legs. There was a thorny stick poking into his neck from the bush they were crouched under. He was pretty sure insects were biting him too. _Ugh, should’ve sealed my suit up tighter._

They were overlooking a small clearing, and the undergrowth hid them from view. Ozma was in her servo-suit, peering intently at the jungle floor. The only lifeforms Buzz was aware of were the birds twittering in the trees (at least he thought they were birds—you could never be sure of anything on Karn, and for all he knew they were killer squirrels or giant cockroaches), but Ozma had insisted on dragging him over there. _Still not the worst date I’ve ever been on, I guess._ He allowed himself a wry smile.

"Shh!"

He blinked. "I didn’t say anything."

"Just warning you in advance."

"Um... okay..."

She carefully pointed to some movement in the thick bushes at the edge of the clearing. "Over there." Her voice was a whisper, almost lost amongst the sounds of nature.

Buzz watched the bushes. A short snout appeared, gobs of thick spit dropping from the open jaws. The creature sniffed with its four nostrils, then bounded into the open. It was a young thrashosaur, only knee-high, and, Buzz had to admit, kind of cute. The eyeless creature raised its head a few more times to sniff around, then relaxed and settled on the ground, scraping the long pair of spikes on its arms into the dirt. It snuffled through the dust and snapped something up. Buzz realised it was digging for bugs.

"She’s only a year old," Ozma whispered. "There were three in the nest. I was there when they hatched. The youngest got picked off by the other two, and her sister moved off to find a different territory and I lost track of her. But this one has been thriving. She’s made it past her most vulnerable stage and already she’s started hunting." The woman smiled fondly at the creature. "I saw her make her first big kill last week."

Buzz smiled awkwardly in return. "She still seems to have quite a taste for bugs, though."

"Thrashosaurs remain primarily insectivorous throughout their lives. Their blindness makes larger prey difficult to hunt down, because they have to rely on scent and hearing alone. It means they’re excellent hunters in the dark, of course, but it’s still a disadvantage. They never get enough meat to satisfy themselves, and the iron deficiency makes them perpetually cranky." She shrugged. "They used to live much farther north, in the cave systems. They didn’t need their eyesight there and the place was so full of tunnel rats that they were never short of meat. But then the poachers discovered the caves and started hunting them. Thrashosaur skin jackets, hunting trophies, the works—it’s big money. And those thrashosaurs were pretty docile because they were well fed, which meant they were easy targets. So most of that population was killed, and the survivors ended up here." Resting her head on her crossed arms, she sighed. "At least I can look out for them while they’re with me."

There were a lot of times Buzz didn’t understand Ozma, but at that moment a strong feeling of empathy washed over him. He knew exactly how she felt about her creatures. He wasn’t sure he’d ever share her passion for them, but he got it. She cared for them the way he cared for the citizens of the universe. _Same job, different lifeforms to protect._ Maybe in some strange way they really were kindred spirits.

"I call her Emily," said Ozma. The thrashosaur was still digging for bugs, making pleased chirps when it found a particularly large beetle. "She comes here every day. This is her spot, her hunting ground. I watch her whenever I can."

Suddenly bored of eating bugs, the small reptile rose, shook the dust from its scales, and charged in circles around the clearing. It sniffed out a stick on the ground and grabbed it in its sharp jaws, chewing it, tossing it in the air, and worrying it like some overgrown puppy.

"Cute little thing," murmured Buzz.

"She certainly is."

He looked at her. "Why don’t you feed her? You could give her the meat she needs. Maybe she’d even follow you around and be your guard dog—wouldn’t hurt to have one in a place like this."

Ozma shook her head. "Not a good idea. I don’t want to upset her natural conditioning. If I start feeding her, she might stop hunting, and then what happens if I’m not there to feed her anymore? She’s a wild animal, Buzz, and nature may not be kind to her, but it’s where she belongs." Looking back at Emily, who was still throwing the stick around and chasing it, she added, "Nature doesn’t always have to be ugly, though. Look at her now. She’s happy. Sometimes my world can be... well, it can be really beautiful."

For once, Buzz found himself agreeing. For all its horrors and dangers, Karn truly was spectacular, and he realised he could appreciate the beauty of a lethal predator like the thrashosaur just as easily as the beauty of a puppy or a kitten. "I’m glad you brought me out here to show me this."

"Figured you could use a break." She looked at him, her blue eyes studying him sympathetically. "You’ve been spending every waking moment with that little army of Space Rangers of yours."

"We’re trying to come up with a plan to stop Zurg."

"And have you?"

He rubbed his neck. "Not yet."

"You’re only five cruisers. Five damaged cruisers against everything in Zurg’s arsenal. Buzz, I agree that Zurg needs to be stopped, but you can’t do it alone."

"What choice do we have?" Buzz sighed. "I wish we had help, but we don’t. It’s down to us. I’m not going to let Zurg get away with this, you can count on that. It’s like you and your animals—would you back down if it was just you and there were hundreds of armed poachers after them?"

"Of course not." Leaning forward, Ozma pulled his head towards hers and gave him a peck on his cheek. "Just don’t get yourself killed, space jerk."

He grinned. "I’ll try not to, ma’am."

She was right though. Five cruisers weren’t enough. He’d gone over every possibility in his head a dozen times, and he couldn’t come up with a viable plan. _We need allies. But where are we going to find them?_

* * *

The galaxy was a big old place. Big enough to spend a lifetime exploring its wonders and still have plenty left over. From the giant ice caves of Shragarak to the luminescent nebulas of the Sentilla system, there was always something new to see. Whole swathes of space still remained uncharted, teeming with unknown lifeforms and civilisations and stuff. And it was all his—he could go anywhere he wanted. _Do_ anything he wanted.

So, naturally, he was on his way to Cosmo’s Diner.

Zurg sat hunched over the controls. He was flying the shuttle himself, without even a Hornet escort. The Grubs had protested, of course—the little bug-eyed yes-men were terribly afraid something might happen to him while he was out of their sight—but he’d stood firm and insisted on going alone. He rolled his eyes. As if he couldn’t handle any trouble that might come his way. He’d just conquered a galaxy, hadn’t he?

As he neared the space station, which hung amidst the nothingness of space like a lonely Holiday ornament on an empty tree, he realised what a strange thing it was that he’d never been to Cosmo’s before. Oh, he’d tasted the food—Cosmo had done the catering for the recent banquet, and in the past Zurg had ordered from him under an alias, just to see if his cuisine was really as good as everyone said it was (it turned out to be even better, in fact). But Zurg had never visited the diner itself. It just wasn’t the sort of thing evil emperors did, especially when crossing into Alliance Space might get you arrested and shipped off to PC-7. It seemed like Cosmo’s was a staple in the lives of everyone in the universe except for him. Who didn’t talk about going over there for lunch, or making plans to hang out at there with their buddies? Even Warp spoke of the establishment fondly, recalling his Academy days when the cadets would spend their free afternoons drinking milkshakes at the diner and hitting on the waitresses (well, Warp hit on the waitresses, anyway—apparently Buzz spent all his time studying). Zurg didn’t even know what it looked like inside.

The landing strip was less crowded than he’d expected it to be. There were a few ships, but he had no trouble locating an empty space. Strange. Warp had told him you were lucky if you could find parking within five lightyears of the station during the lunch hour.

Zurg brought the ship down, cut the engines, and sealed his armour where it met his neck. The skin around his head was specially thickened to withstand massive changes in temperature—a necessity when you could focus your eyes into scorching hot laser beams—but the rest of his body wasn’t quite so tough and wouldn’t take kindly to the vacuum of space. Straightening the wrinkles from his robes, he stepped out the hatch and crossed the landing strip, sauntering casually through the diner’s airlock.

When he emerged inside, all conversation and sounds of eating ceased as abruptly as a commlink being switched off. For a moment, every eye was on him. Then they quickly looked away and the customers shifted uncomfortably in their seats. _Good,_ he thought. _Let them be uncomfortable._ He passed along the aisle, occasionally casting a smug, smoldering look at some hapless person. Watching them squirm was a delight. Everyone kept their gaze fixed firmly on their food. No one wanted to meet his eyes.

Reaching an empty table, Zurg lowered himself into a chair with gusto and started drumming his claws on the slick tabletop. The sound was deafening against the silence of so many people holding their breath. He increased the intensity until at last a waitress appeared. Her bright expression dropped the moment she saw him.

"Morning!" he greeted. He didn’t actually know if it was morning by the diner’s clock, but he _did_ know no one would dare to contradict him, so it didn’t matter.

"M-morning," the four-armed woman managed uneasily. "Can I... um... can I take your order, Evil Emperor Zurg?"

Oh, goody, she’d used his full title. People always made the mistake of omitting the Evil part, as if it were simply an extra adjective tacked on for no good reason. He was impressed that she’d remembered to add it—maybe he’d even give her tip (he wouldn’t really, of course, but she’d gotten him to at least consider it, which was a sign of good customer service). "Your business is looking a bit shabby today," he noted, ignoring her question. "I expected better."

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, it’s been slow lately. No _idea_ why."

Hmm, was that a sly dig at him? Definitely no tip for her, though he admired her spirit. "Maybe you need some sort of special offer—‘all senior citizens with false teeth eat free today’, or something along those lines. Everyone loves a good deal. Why, on Planet Z, I have more promotions than you can shake a Grub at! ‘Work 23 consecutive hours and get a free pen’, ‘all executions free to full-time employees’, et cetera, et cetera. Just one of the many perks of working for the Evil Emperor Zurg!"

She gave him a smile that couldn’t have looked more forced if it had been glued into place. "So do you want fries with that?"

"Don’t get smart with me," he snapped. "That’s a luxury reserved for people far above your paygrade. As it happens, I want a milkshake."

Bringing out a datapad, she asked, "Flavour?"

"Lingonberry."

"Uh, what’s a lingonberry?"

"Haven’t the faintest idea, but I’ve always wanted to try it. Okay, fine, strawberry. You have _that_ , don’t you?"

"Small, medium, or large?"

"Grande. That is the biggest, right? None of that Venti nonsense..."

"One _large_ strawberry milkshake." She entered the information into the pad. "Okay, anything else?"

"Do you have any of those long, curly straws?"

"I’m sure we can find something in the cupboard where we keep the children’s birthday party supplies." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Excellent." Zurg leaned back and watched her leave. Her long brown ponytail bobbed up and down behind her as hurried to the kitchen. She was probably what most people would consider attractive, he decided, and probably the sort who giggled insipidly whenever Buzz Lightyear visited Cosmo’s. He wondered if Lightyear enjoyed that or found it as sickening as Zurg found the mere thought of it.

_Ah, Buzz, Buzz, Buzz. Where are you?_

There was what sounded like a shriek from the kitchen. A minute later, the waitress and Cosmo himself emerged, carrying a large strawberry milkshake with a suitably twirly straw sticking out of it. The scaly green chef was sweating as he set the milkshake down, looking as nervous as if he were handling a ticking plasma bomb. "Evil Emperor Zurg," he said, wiping his brow with a robotic arm, "this truly is an honour!"

Zurg dusted some lint from his cape. "More of an honour than having the great Buzz Lightyear as a regular customer?"

Cosmo squirmed amusingly with discomfort. "Well... er... yes, yes of course! You are Evil Emperor Zurg, greatest villain in known universe! Conqueror of a thousand worlds! You are big shot, not like pathetic Space Rangers."

The waitress folded both sets of arms and eyed him with disdain. "Cosmo..."

He nudged her with his elbow. "Go with it, Sally," he whispered.

Ah, suck-ups. A universal constant. Apparently Cosmo was one of them. Zurg grinned, picking up the milkshake. "Glad to hear it," he said. "By the way, I must compliment you on the catering you did for my banquet. First class service, especially at such short notice!"

Cosmo chuckled nervously. "Well, here at Cosmo’s, we strive to deliver only very best!"

Zurg tucked the straw into the thin gap between his mouth and the yellow, bone-like grill that most people would’ve called teeth if they’d known it was part of his actual face (in reality it filtered the air, meaning he could breathe in nearly any atmosphere, one of many things that made him superior to everyone else). He took a long sip of the pink beverage. It was cool and delicious, leaving a lovely fruity taste in his mouth. _Super,_ he decided. Perhaps he’d have to kidnap Cosmo and enslave him as his personal chef. Then again, if anything was likely to cause the populace to riot, that was. Probably too much of a headache in the end.

"Anything else you need, you just tell Cosmo!" said the cook. "Sally and I are here to serve you, whatever you want!"

"I wouldn’t got that far, Cosmo," snorted the waitress.

"Yes, thank you, very grateful I’m sure. Now be QUIET!" Zurg continued to sip the drink. "I came here to think."

They both edged away from him.

He wasn’t actually sure what he’d come there to think about. Maybe he just wanted to see if the milkshakes tasted as good as he’d hoped. He wanted to prove that some things really did live up to the hype. That would imply he was unsatisfied though, and the only thing he had to be unsatisfied about was Lightyear. _And yet I keep feeling almost... pleased... he’s free._ Emotions were such unruly things. They never did what you wanted them to. At least he could safely say he wasn’t happy about the other Lightyear’s escape. Zurg had faced just about everything the universe had to throw at him, and if there was one thing that had truly unnerved him, it was the alternate Buzz Lightyear. _Perhaps I was a fool to think I could ever make him dance to my tune._

The evil Lightyear was like a mad dog. He needed putting down. Zurg knew he should’ve done it the moment he’d found the man in that slave camp on Beta Bayou. Now he’d become a loose end, and Zurg didn’t like loose ends. Especially ones that might snag your feet and bring you crashing to the ground.

But even if he hunted the evil Lightyear down, would he feel satisfied? What if he killed the good Buzz too, and secured his victory in every possible way? Would it be enough?

 _No, that’s not the question,_ he thought. _The question is... then what?_

No one liked sitting on a throne more than him, but was that the way he wanted to spend the rest of his life? Just sitting, ruling...

He shook his head. _I’ve spent far too long defining myself as a man trying to win. That was a mistake._ He didn’t know what it was like to actually _be_ a winner anymore.

"Cosmo," he said out loud, "do you want to know something?"

"Of course, you tell me anything! Anything at all, we’ll be listening!" Cosmo nodded quickly.

"It’s something I haven’t thought about in a long time." Zurg sipped the last of his milkshake. "I just remembered it now."

"Yes?"

He pushed the glass back. "When I was just a teeny tiny child, not even knee-high yet, guess what I wanted to be more than anything else in the universe. Anybody?" Silence from both of them. "I wanted to be a chef."

Cosmo and Sally both blinked.

"It’s true." He grinned wickedly at them, enjoying their surprise. "Think about that. I could’ve been working _here_ if my life had turned out very differently!"

Cosmo tried to chuckle. "Well, we all have dreams like that. Why, when I was young, I wanted to be soldier!"

"You never told me that," said Sally, looking at him curiously.

"Oh yes, even signed up with army as soon as I was old enough!"

Zurg steepled his hands. "Then how did you end up here?"

Cosmo shrugged. "Lost arm." He removed the empty milkshake glass. "What about you? What happened to dreams of being chef?"

The man was overstepping his boundaries in asking personal questions—especially when he wasn’t even addressing him with any of the proper titles of respect—but Zurg was willing to let it go for once. "In my case, I didn’t lose an arm," he said. "Oh no, instead I lost _everything_." After a pause, he added, "Besides, everyone knows emperors can’t be chefs."

Neither Cosmo nor Sally said anything. They probably weren’t sure how to respond—he could tell they were trying to tread carefully with him. Cosmo in particular was terrified of offending him. It was rather funny.

Zurg turned his thoughts back to the early days. _I wish all those fools could see me now. After everything they did, I still came out on top._ If only he’d gotten those coordinates... then he could’ve shown them personally.

Suddenly, Zurg knew what he had to do. It was all so clear, he couldn’t understand why he hadn’t thought of it before. Invigorated with a new sense of purpose, he leaped from his seat and pressed some money into Cosmo’s hands. "Well, anyway, must dash!" he said. "Thanks for the milkshake!"

"Hold on!" Cosmo called after him. "This is hundred uni-bucks! Let me get change!"

"Keep it!" Did they really think he, the richest man in the galaxy, had time to wait for some measly change when he suddenly had an exciting new goal to focus on? "Consider it a tip!"


	40. Chapter 39

His first thought upon waking up was that he would kill for plate of bacon and eggs. A cup of coffee wouldn’t go amiss either. When his mind finally caught up with his body in the awakening process, however, he forgot his cravings and immediately muttered a curse he would never have let XR hear. Nebula scowled at his surroundings. It had happened again—the old witch had knocked him out and he’d woken up in a strange room again! Even worse, the metal doors proved to be firmly sealed shut when he tried to open them. He was definitely a prisoner now.

He shoved himself against them one last time and slumped back onto the cot he’d been sleeping on. _I had once chance to escape, and now it’s gone right down the zero-grav toilet!_

At least it was a change from the stone chambers of the LGM homeworld. He could tell at once he was aboard a space craft of some sort—the gravity had that faint, artificial quality you could never quite put your finger on, and there were vibrations in the walls that told him the ship was in flight. He was obviously aboard Xlgta’s vessel, but the last thing he remembered was her leading him down a corridor. He seemed to recall the woman suddenly touching her hand to his neck. Everything was a blank after that.

_Guess I should be glad I didn’t have any hallucinations this time._

Nebula sat up and began pounding on the doors. "Hello! Hello! I know you’re out there, so quit playing games and open these doors before I tear my way out!" There was only so much being locked up in a strange cell a guy could take, and Nebula’s patience for that sort of thing had never been high to begin with.

"I’m gonna count to ten!" he barked. "One... two..." If she didn’t open up soon, he was darn well going to use his pegleg and blast his way out. He’d _tried_ playing it her way, but this was just too much! "Three... four..."

At the count of five there was a hydraulic hiss and the doors slid open. The familiar, suited-up figure of Xlgta appeared. Before Nebula could move, she held up a blaster, halting his plans to rush forward and overpower her. "You slept a long time," she said casually. "I am sorry if I used too much sophomoric gel. It’s hard to calculate the right dose for a species whose physiology I don’t know."

"Sophomoric what?" He curled his fingers into fists. "What in blue blazes are you up to now? You didn’t have to knock me out!"

She tilted her head in that irritating way that he was sure meant she was smiling. "If I had not, you would’ve tried to steal my ship and run back to your precious troops."

"Oh yeah? Whatever happened to trust? You don’t know what I was thinking!"

"I was a general once. I would do it in your place."

Okay, she had him there. He sighed and eyed her with his best glare. "So what now? Where are we going?"

She shrugged. "I am not sure."

"You don’t know? Huh, you must be great on road trips."

"You may believe it or you may choose not to, but I am going exactly where you would want me to."

"Yeah, is that so?"

"I’m looking for Buzz Lightyear and the soldiers he escaped with."

Nebula frowned. " _What_? Why?" His mind instantly raced with possibilities—perhaps she really was a Zurg agent, and this was all some elaborate plot to track down Buzz. "And they’re not soldiers, by the way," he spat. "They’re Space Rangers. There’s a difference. Look it up in the dictionary some time."

"A soldier is always a soldier, whatever their name, whatever their uniform—and whatever oaths they swear. I know one when I see one." She leaned against the door frame. "I am going to find them for you—they need you in command again. And I need the threat they pose to be neutralised."

Neutralised was always a suspicious word. Nebula wrinkled his nose. "Meaning?"

"As matters stand, Buzz Lightyear is the one person most likely to kill Zurg. I will not let him succeed."

"You think I’m gonna stop him? I ain’t fond of killing, lady, even when it’s necessary, but you won’t catch me shedding any tears over Zurg. If Buzz takes him down, I’ll pin another medal on his chest!"

Her pose shifted slightly, as if she’d just stiffened. "Zurg will _not_ die. I would see your galaxy in flames before I allowed that to happen."

"Oh, quit the theatrics and the stuffy speeches already!" He threw his hands in the air. "I’m sick of them and I’m sick to death of you!"

"Stuffy speeches? Is that what you think? I’m not speaking the dry words of an orator, I am simply declaring what I feel," she hissed. "Perhaps it sounds too formal and theatrical to you, but it was how I always spoke to my empress, out of respect, and it is how I will continue to speak in her honour." She stared at him for a long moment, the anger hanging in the air, then she seemed to relax. "Then again, the empress always did tell me to... ‘loosen up’, I believe were her words. She was always so flippant, so at ease with herself, and she encouraged me to adopt the same attitude, but it never suited me. I knew she would not take such laxness as an insult—not from me—but I loved her too much behave as her equal rather than her servant."

Nebula studied her. "This empress lady really meant a lot to you, huh? You never shut up about her."

"I have only ever cared for two things in my long life—my empress, and her empire. Both are lost now, but I will fulfill my promises to them."

"Fine, fair enough, but what does any of this have to do with me?" he demanded. "I don’t give squat about whatever promises you’ve made!"

"That is the dilemma, isn’t it?" she said. "But it can be remedied."

* * *

The white meat of the fish sizzled in the pan, sending tasty aromas wafting through the room. Savy flipped it out onto a plate, deciding it was cooked enough. The primitive colony didn’t have the most advanced kitchen appliances, so meals still had to be fixed the old-fashioned way. Luckily, years of hard life on Trade World meant Savy knew all about preparing her own food.

She waited for the fish to cool. The house was eerily quiet, and she began tapping her boots on the tiled floor. _I wonder who used to live here,_ she thought. Whoever they were, they were now either locked up in the village hall with the rest of the people, or had been amongst those killed in the initial attack. She bit her lip.

It had taken some doing to convince... Buzz... not to just kill them all. Only her suggestion that they’d make good hostages if the need arose was keeping them alive. She wondered what would happen when it was time to leave the planet. Would Buzz just shoot them all?

"Hey, is lunch done?"

Speak of the devil. Buzz marched in, not bothering to wipe his sandy boots on the mat. He grabbed the plate of fish.

"So, what’s up?" she asked, trying to look casual as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

"We found the main comm station." He tore at the fish eagerly, wiping his beard where some of the oil had dripped down from his mouth. "Want to come over and help us reconfigure it?"

"You bet!" There was nothing like a little tech work to take her mind off things. "What do you need done?"

"Always know what your enemy is thinking, kid. I want to hack into Zurg’s official comm lines."

Savy scrunched up her face. "Hmm, tough one. You know they’ll be totally scrambled, right? I’m not sure even I could break that kind of encryption."

"You’ll figure it out." His eyes narrowed. "Everyone on my team has to earn their keep."

She fought back a shiver. "I saved you, didn’t I? If it weren’t for me, you’d still be wearing that collar!"

His hand swung out and struck her on the cheek. "Rule one," he whispered, "Buzz Lightyear is always right. Always. So watch your mouth." Then he smiled. "Besides, it’s not like I haven’t been grateful, kid. Do you think I take any old street trash under my wing? I’m gonna teach you everything I know."

"Great." An overwhelming ache crept into her heart. She couldn’t get the face of that dead girl out of her mind. Buzz had pulled the trigger, but she’d been holding the gun. _I should’ve done something to stop it._ Life was full of choices, and for the first time she wasn’t sure if she was making the right ones. _I miss my parents._

"Well, come on, kid." Buzz put down the empty plate. "Let’s go hack that channel, eh?"

* * *

Xlgta reached into the pocket of her suit, drawing something out in a closed fist. Nebula couldn’t make out what it was. She held it up and slowly unclasped her fingers. A pulsing yellow ball was nestled in her palm, humming softly like a faraway song.

"Psytronium," said Xlgta.

"Yeah, I figured."

"A gift." She ran a gloved finger across the shimmering golden surface. It seemed to ripple beneath her touch.

Nebula stared at the orb. "Well, what are you gonna do with that? Try to find Buzz telepathically, hmm?" He snorted. "Do you really expect that to work?"

"Of course not. This sphere is far too small for such a purpose. It can only be used for closer, more intimate connections." Her finger twirled through the light, and it seemed to wrap around her hand like a long yellow thread. "Like this."

She thrust her hand forward, pressing it against Nebula’s forehead. He tried to jump back, but she had him firmly in her grip. The sharp points of her fingers dug into his skin. It felt as if something was trying to hammer through his skull, but it wasn’t the pressure of her hand. He didn’t know what it was.

"Don’t fight," she whispered. "You will make this harder."

"Like hell I’m going down easy," he gasped, feeling the pressure increase. Any moment now it would break through into his mind.

"This will not harm you," Xlgta insisted. She clamped her glowing hand down harder. The metal of the gauntlet should’ve been cold, but it felt hot and buzzing with raw energy.

He couldn’t fight it any longer. His mind opened and something flooded in, overwhelming everything he felt. A bright light, whiter than any shade of white he’d ever seen, filled his vision. Gradually, it lessened, and he saw Xlgta standing before him. But somehow he knew what he was seeing wasn’t reality. It was occurring in his mind... or someone else’s mind, perhaps. It didn’t feel like his own.

There was laughter. A child raced past, a blur of movement in the scarlet halls Nebula suddenly realised they were standing in. He looked around. The ceiling arched dramatically, like the inside of a cathedral, and a stained glass window at the far end of the passage let in shafts of coloured light. Nebula instantly felt ill at ease. This wasn’t his kind of place. Xlgta, on the other hand, looked perfectly at home. She strode down the hall with the breeziness of someone who knew exactly where she was going. The commander trudged after her, and they caught up to the child at the end of the passage. He was peeking around a corner, his back to them. Somehow, Nebula didn’t think the kid would’ve seen them even if he’d turned around.

_None of this is real,_ he told himself. _What is it, anyway? A dream? A vision?_ No... there was an emotional quality infused inside this reality that was only found in memories. They were looking at the past through the filter of someone else’s mind. _Whose? Xlgta’s? The kid’s?_

From where he stood, he could make out little of the child. The boy—he was somehow sure the child was a boy—was short, dressed in scarlet robes which were embroidered with fine black thread. They piled around his feet and ran all the way over his head in an ornate hood. He rested a violet hand with pointed fingernails against the wall as he leaned around the corner.

Xlgta drew Nebula closer, and they padded silently up to the child. "Who is he?" Nebula asked.

"Quiet," she said, though the boy showed no signs of hearing them. "Listen."

Other voices were speaking. They sounded like two women, but their voices weren’t normal. They had a strange echo, one which certainly wasn’t caused by the high-ceilinged corridors. They seemed to be around the next corner, and it was because of them that the child had stopped. He was eavesdropping on their conversation. Nebula felt the vague sense of guilt that the boy must have been feeling at the time. _So these_ are _his memories,_ he thought. _But who is this kid?_ Part of him was sure he knew already, but he couldn’t quite pin down the answer.

"I love him as much as you do," one of the voices was saying. It sounded older, croakier than the other. Xlgta seemed to falter in her steps when she heard it. "But you have to think about what’s practical, my dear girl. You really ought to have another child."

"If I wanted another one, I’d have had one by now," said the younger voice. She was softer than the first, but just as firm. "You know me, Ma. I don’t have the attention span to try anything more than once. Never did."

"Which hardly bodes well for the empire’s future when you’re on the throne," the first woman snorted. "Makes me wish I could take the inevitable onslaught of old age and death off my to-do list. That would solve all our problems."

There was a sigh from the younger woman. "Maybe _you_ should’ve had more children. Then I wouldn’t have to take the throne at all!"

"Oh, shush, don’t be ridiculous, girl! You were my firstborn daughter, so your scrawny little rear’s going to be sitting on that throne one day, whether you like it or not!"

"Fine, but _my_ firstborn will sit there after me!"

Nebula saw the boy twitch. His face was still hidden by the cowl, but he seemed uneasy.

"One daughter, that’s all I ask!" said the older woman. "Honestly, is that too much? Look, I know your boy’s smart—smarter than his dim-witted mother, that’s for sure—but think how our oh-so-adoring subjects will react if he succeeds you! It’s not like everything’s all fine and dandy as it is. We only _just_ got those pathetic rejects to stop whining about the new taxes we imposed! What’ll they say to an empress with no daughters?"

"Do you think I care?"

"You will care when they start rioting in the streets, my dear. There hasn’t been an emperor on the throne in nine generations! They’re not going to trust one now."

"Oh, boohoo, too bad. They’ll come around eventually."

The older woman sighed. "They won’t. I know you love the boy, but they aren’t going to let him come to power. You have to face facts—Zurg will never be emperor."

Nebula inhaled sharply. He marched forward, circling around the boy so he could see his face. "I should’ve known!" The pair of red eyes looked straight through him, unseeing, but Nebula still felt uncomfortable staring into them. He retraced his steps, shoving his face inches away from Xlgta’s helmet. "This is Zurg! The kid is Zurg!"

"So he is, Commander. It took you long enough to figure that out."

He grabbed her by the shoulders, wondering if it would hurt her if he shook her while they were still inside this illusionary world of memory. "I don’t know why I didn’t put it together from the start!" His grip tightened, but she didn’t struggle. "All this talk of an empress—that was that precious nana I’ve heard Zurg mention! You’re mixed up in Zurg’s past! You’re one of _them_!"

"I am what I am," she responded calmly.

"What’s that supposed to mean? What’s the point of all this? Well?" He began to shake her. "Why are you showing me this stuff? WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"Perhaps—"

"No, no perhaps, no maybe, no word games! I’m through with all that! You’re gonna give me a straight answer this time!"

The world around them melted without warning, oozing back into whatever crack it had sprung from. Reality faded back in, and Nebula felt Xlgta pull her hand away from his forehead. He stumbled backwards, catching himself on the frame of the cot.

"Never forget our positions, Commander," she hissed, raising her gun slightly. "You are not in charge here."

Nebula straightened. "Who are you? Just tell me that!"

She shrugged. "I have already told you. I was once a soldier, a general—I led the imperial forces in the great civil war. After... after we lost, I was many things before finally becoming the Xlgta—the head of the council. But I am no one important, merely a servant."

"And what are you to Zurg?" he demanded.

"An enemy."

Nebula paused. "If that’s the case," he said, "why in blazes do you want to save him?"

"Because I promised my empress that I would take care of her family."

"Doesn’t look to me like Zurg needs much taking care of," Nebula growled. "The stinkin’ psycho’s doing just fine on his own. What he needs is a laser bolt to the head!"

Her grip on the handle of the blaster tightened. "Would you say those same words to the child whose eyes you looked into a moment ago?"

"In a heartbeat!" He folded his arms. "Lady, I saw people getting gunned down out there during that last battle! I saw my Rangers putting their lives on the line to stop that tyrant from killing innocent civilians! I’ve seen planets ravaged by his forces! So don’t try to tell me he needs saving!"

"I don’t approve of the things he’s done!" she yelled back. "I do not want to see further bloodshed! But he is the last of his line, and I owe it to the empress who I couldn’t save to keep her grandson alive! My plan will suit everyone—I shall take him back with me, back to our world, and your galaxy can live in peace once more."

"What’s _left_ of my galaxy," Nebula spat. "Everything we built is in ruins because of him! He doesn’t deserve to get off that easy!"

"What about forgiveness?" said Xlgta. "I learned there was honour in forgiving after the war, when I had to work side by side with the people who tore down my empire! We rebuilt our world together, and I had to forget all the things they had done. They killed the empress, and I forgave!"

Nebula waved his hands in the air. "Zurg has done _nothing_ to earn forgiveness, so he can get sucked into the centre of a black hole for all I care!"

Staring at him for a long time, Xlgta shook her head. "I see we still have much work ahead of us." Her free hand went up to the clamps on her helmet. "But I will make a gesture for you, a gesture of trust. Perhaps that will mean something." She worked the seals loose and there was a mechanical hiss. Nebula watched her pull the heavy helmet off with a grunt and let it drop to the floor. "Soldiers ought to be able to look one another in the eye," she said.

Her face was gaunt and shrivelled, holding a pair of filmy red eyes which had sunken so far back into her skull that Nebula wondered how she could see at all. Two brittle horns stood up on either side of her head. They were so chipped and scratched that they didn’t even gleam in the light, and the points had become dull with age. The same lilac skin he’d seen on her bare hand was stretched over her face. It had a faded, spotty texture. The grill across her mouth was brown rather than yellow.

"You really are an old geezer," observed Nebula. "Almost makes me feel young"

She laughed, and for the first time he heard her voice in its pure, unfiltered state. It sounded even hoarser than before. "Is that all you have to say? You seem unsurprised by my appearance."

"Well, I had it all pretty much figured out by this point anyway. You’re one of... whatever Zurg is."

"And you are not surprised by his appearance either? I thought your galaxy believed him to be only a man in a mask..."

Nebula changed the subject. "So why the helmet? Why couldn’t you show your face right from the start?"

"Would it have made you any more inclined to help me if you knew I had the face of your enemy?"

"Guess not."

"Exactly."

He crossed his arms. "I _still_ ain’t inclined to help you. ‘Specially after you started messing with my head!"

"I have to make you see," she said. "Oh, I wish I could show you it all at once, but the One said that would burn our minds. Ah! I suppose there will be time. I do not anticipate finding Lightyear to be a quick task."

"Who in blue blazes is the One?"

She smiled. It was a strange sight—not what he’d expected it to look like. Less mocking and more... tired. "That is a story for another time. For now, I think some lunch is in order. What would you like?"

"Lunch? After all this, you wanna talk about lunch?" Nebula heaved out a long sigh. "Wait, didn’t we already have lunch? For pete’s sake, how long have I been out cold?" Oh, he really hated this woman.

* * *

Savy tried to ignore the silence of the streets as they passed through the village. It was so quiet you could hear the waves breaking against the distant shoreline. She saw blast marks and scattered rubble wherever she looked. Some were scars from the attack; some were the aftermath of target practise. Buzz’s gang of thugs sure loved blowing stuff up. There’d already been a few raucous midnight parties involving lots of booze and an unsafe amount of gunfire. Savy had stayed in her room. She’d gotten bored with that kind of thing on Trade World a long time ago.

Buzz led her to a clean, white building with satellite relays on its roof. An array of computer screens greeted them inside, all linked up to the main communications network. Savy cracked her knuckles and jumped into one of the creaky office chairs next to the consoles. "Okay, first up, let’s boot the system into Alliance Standard, because I’m really not in the mood to learn a new alien language today." Her fingers flew across the touchscreen interface. "Then we’ll see about breaking into Zurg’s comm line. If I can manage that, I wanna be known as ‘the genius’ in future!"

"Get me into Zurg’s private channel and you can call yourself anything you want," said Buzz.

"You got it." She scanned through the available subspace communication lines that were being picked up by the satellites. Zurg’s wasn’t there, but she’d been expecting that. It would be cloaked behind random subspace static or something equally devious. "Just need to make a few adjustments, and... bingo! Found it!" Picking up the channel was the easy part. Connecting to it was what would earn her her genius status. "Hmm, looks like we got us some pretty advanced encryption locks here..."

Buzz grinned. It wasn’t the pleasant smile she remembered from her meeting with the other Buzz. "I know you won’t let me down."

_I can’t afford to, can I? Okay, let’s see... Gotta be a way in, there always is._ Her face lit up. "Duh! I’ve seen this kind of encryption before!" Rifling through the pockets of her jacket, she pulled out the datapad she kept all her notes on. "I’m sure I’ve still got the files here somewhere..."

Buzz raised an eyebrow and moved closer, peering over her shoulder. "What are you looking for?"

"A few years ago, I was hunting Zurg’s energy vampire, NOS-4-A2." She couldn’t say the name without infusing a certain amount of venom into her voice. Time had done little to soften her bitterness. "One time, I’d just missed him, but I found one of the bots he’d been feeding on. Poor thing was toast, totally offline—one of those primitive models that can’t handle a complete system drain. But I didn’t let its death go to waste. I scraped off the residue around the bite marks and took it back to my place. I had some tech I got off a black market trader that I used to analyse the sample. Nanobots. He injects them into his victims to take control."

A look of amusement spread over Buzz’s face. "You’re a real piece of work, kid. I’ve never met anyone who collected vampire spit before."

"Hey, don’t knock it. I was able to pick apart the coding in the nanobots and I wrote it all down. Guess what just so happens to use the same encryption pattern—Zurg’s comm line!" She grinned. "Now that I know what I’m dealing with, I know where all the weak points are. It’s gonna take awhile, but I think I can get us in!"

"Nice going." Buzz ruffled her hair, and Savy tried not to wince. "Always knew Zurg was an idiot, but this just proves I was right. You’d think he would’ve changed the encryption locks by now."

She shrugged. "Guess he thought the only one who’d ever know how to break through was NOS-4-A2, and he didn’t think the vampire would be a threat to him. The one time he found out differently was the time the energy creep finally died for good." _Wish I could’ve been there to see that._ "So he never would’ve had any reason to think anyone else could get through his security."

"We’re going to show him just how wrong he was," sneered Buzz. "I was right about you. You’re something special, kid."

"Thanks." She bent over the screen, breathing a sigh of relief as the distance between them increased. And yet, in spite of how much he terrified her, she couldn’t help being a tiny bit pleased by his praise. "Just doin’ my best."


	41. Chapter 40

Mira ducked gratefully out of the Senate chamber, pausing against a wall to breathe a sigh of relief. It had been another long day, and one which could only be salvaged by a nice long soak in a hot bath, far away from anyone who might demand anything of her. She stretched her toes, wincing at the ache in her feet. How long had she been standing at that podium addressing those idiot senators who never ran out of things to fuss about? _Oh well. At least it’s over now._

"Hey, Mira!"

She started. "Wha—? Oh, it’s you, XR." She sighed. "What do you want?"

The little robot grinned up at her. "Just checking on you. I did say I was gonna look after you, didn’t I?"

"Yeah, you did." _I was hoping you’d forgotten about that._ "Look, XR, I’m—"

"—probably thirsty!" XR finished. "So I brought you some coffee!"

"Oh... well, gee, thank you, XR." Mira let herself smile for the first time that day. "That’s actually really thoughtful."

XR pulled a mug out of his chest and she accepted it eagerly, taking a good, long gulp. "I made it myself," he told her with pride.

Mira almost choked on the brown liquid. It tasted like... actually, she’d never tasted anything bad enough to compare it to. It took all her Tangean concentration to avoid grimacing in disgust. Bracing herself, she swallowed the mouthful and smiled encouragingly. "Very, uh, very good."

"Not bad for someone who can’t consume fluids, eh?" XR grinned. "Except for oil, of course. Actually, I think that mug may be the one I use when I break out a bottle of the good ol’ rustolia."

"Yeah... I think it might be..." She looked around for a plant pot to slosh the remaining coffee into the moment XR turned his back. There were none handy. "I’m not really thirsty though. Just tired."

"Long day?"

"Just like every other day," she nodded.

"Anything I can do to help?" His wide optics were staring up at her brightly.

Mira ran a hand through her hair. "I dunno, XR. Uh... you could help me sort through the paperwork, I guess. I’ve got to do that before I can go home."

"You betcha!" He followed her as she started down the hall for her office. "I gotta tell you," he continued, "I’m glad I came here. It feels good to be doing something again instead of moping around on Star Command."

"It’s good to have you," said Mira, and she was surprised to realise she meant every word. He’d been getting underfoot a lot, but one friendly face was about the only thing keeping her sane in the crazy new world she’d been thrown into. "I don’t know what I’d do without you, XR."

He beamed.

They were almost at the office when a Grub voice sounded over the speakers. "Governor Nova, please report to the front entrance," it announced. "Governor Nova, you are needed at the front entrance. There is a situation requiring your immediate attention."

Mira inhaled deeply and let the breath out as she rubbed her forehead. "When isn’t there?"

The pair turned around and headed back down the corridor. They soon came to the front entrance, and Mira shoved the heavy wooden doors open. When she and XR emerged on the other side, they found themselves facing a curious spectacle. Several Hornets and two Grubs were standing outside the entrance, listening as a wildly gesticulating XL demanded to be let in.

"Hey, c’mon, man!" he insisted. "You gotta open up! I told ya, I know Ranger Nova and my brother XR personally! They’re both in there, they’ll vouch for me! Aw, c’mon! I used to work for Zurg! Well, sorta, I mean once or twice—but it’s gotta count for something! Let me in!"

"Whoa, bro, what’s going on?" XR pushed past the Hornets.

XL seemed to notice XR and Mira for the first time. "Finally! These morons won’t let me into the Senate!"

Hopping down the steps, Mira reached the little robot. "XL, what are you doing here?"

"Do you know this person?" asked one of the Grubs.

"Yeah, it’s okay, let him in," Mira sighed. "XL, if you were going to come here, you should’ve called me. You need special authorisation to get into the Senate. It’s under tight security." _Like it should’ve been all along, so the president never would’ve been kidnapped in the first place._

She took him by the arm and led him through the doors, with XR following alongside. "Is everything okay, bro?" the other robot asked. "There haven’t been any disasters on Star Command since I left, have there?"

"Nah," XL shook his head. "I just got bored up there. Y’know, there’s no one there now. You’re down here, and Dad’s... gone."

Mira rubbed her temples. "And what do you plan to do now that you’re here?"

He grinned. "I could help you, like XR does!"

She shut her eyes. _Great. Great. Just what I need._ "Alright, fine, guys, let’s go sort through that paperwork..."

* * *

A nippy breeze was whispering across his face as Warp leaned against the railing of the balcony, overlooking the Alliance Plaza. He could see the Senate building gleaming orange in the light of the setting sun, and its image was mirrored in the still surfaces of the two pools in the centre of the Plaza. Between them, the giant statue of Zurg stood watch over the city, jealously gripping a representation of the planet in its talons. The whole thing was a bit ridiculous, really. Putting up statues of yourself in your own courtyard at your own home? Sure. Warp couldn’t deny that he’d done the same thing back on his moon. But this was just overkill.

He shrugged and took another sip of his fruit smoothie. He’d heard each suite at the Ambassador Hotel had a well-stocked bar, but all the alcohol seemed to have mysteriously disappeared from his room, no doubt on Zurg’s orders. Strangely, he realised he didn’t actually care. A drink or two would’ve been nice, but he knew it wouldn’t solve anything, so what was the point? At the end of the day, his problems would still be there and he’d just have a hangover to add to them.

He yawned and slumped into a deck chair. It was a nice view, really, if you ignored the statue and the bombed-out buildings in the distance. He’d forgotten how elegant the Plaza was. _The centre of the great Galactic Alliance,_ he thought, snorting. Ah, well. Nothing lasted forever.

A blip from the vidscreen broke the stillness of the evening. Warp groaned, set down his drink, and pulled himself to his feet. _If this is one of those vidsales calls..._ He trudged into the room and turned on the screen. A Grub’s face appeared—One-Two’s probably, but it was always so hard to tell the little buggers apart.

"Yo, Warp here." He crossed his arms. "What is it now?"

"Agent Darkmatter," the Grub chirped, "Emperor Zurg requests your presence at the Senate right away!"

_Oh, craters. Can’t a guy get a moment’s peace?_ "Yeah, he does, does he? What for?"

"He’ll tell you when you get here, so hurry!" The screen went black.

_Craters, craters, motherfragging craters._ Whatever Zurg wanted, it wouldn’t be simple and it wouldn’t be fun. Nothing ever was with the emperor. "I practically _just_ came out the hospital," Warp groaned to himself. "You’d think I’d get a little time off before it’s back to being Evil Emperor Zurg’s errand boy, but no!"

_No rest for the wicked,_ he imagined Buzz saying. Buzz always used to say things like that to him.

_Screw you,_ Warp thought in return. _I may have the worst boss in the universe, but at least I’m not running for my life like you are. My days of being on the losing side are over._

He went to the closet to find his suit.

* * *

"What about this one? It looks kinda important." XL held up a form, squinting at it. "A receipt from Gorbulo’s Delrubian Takeouts," he read. "Should I put it with the main pile?"

Mira looked up from the stacks of paper of varying heights that surrounded her. "No, that’s trash."

"Are you sure? Because—"

"Throw it out."

"Fine, whatever." XL shrugged, tossing the receipt into the overflowing trash can. "Don’t blame me if you need it later." It seemed a waste to him to throw anything away. Machines went to a lot of effort to catalogue data, and organics were so quick to dump all that information in the trash. Heck, just printing out forms took time, not to mention all the ink involved! Didn’t anyone appreciate that?

XR waved a sheaf of papers in the air. "Got a vacation request from one of the Grubs over here! Do you wanna sign it?"

"What? No!" Mira rolled her eyes. "We’re shorthanded enough already! Throw that out too."

"There’s a request over here to form a Senate bingo club," XR said, reading another paper. "They want to meet every Friday. Sounds like fun! I vote you sign it!"

Mira’s expression could’ve melted through solid terrillium. "Trash. Now."

"Aw, come on, Mira! Don’t be such a killjoy. We need something to liven up—"

"Sorry. Not happening."

"Fine, whatever. I’m just sayin’..."

XL dug through more papers. It seemed like Mira’s whole office was full of them. She’d muttered something about letting the situation get out of control when the three of them had entered the room. Apparently she’d been putting the job off for several days. XL knew Commander Nebula never would’ve done that, despite his unconcealed hatred of paperwork. The commander had always been very strict about getting things done on time.

Thinking about Nebula brought up unwelcome emotions, so he turned his attention back to his work. If he distracted himself long enough, maybe he’d never have to face his grief. "Hey, I found something!" he said, picking an envelope out of the pile. "Looks like a letter!"

"Does it have any official stamps on it?"

XL shook his head. "Nope."

"Then toss it."

"But it might be important!" Tearing open the envelope, he began to read from the note. "‘Dear Governor Nova.’ Nice intro, don’t you think? ‘Dear Governor Nova, you are a... a...’ XR, what does this word say?"

XR leaned over. "Collaborating."

"Thanks! ‘Dear Governor Nova, you are a... what XR said... traitor. You are a disgrace to everything the Space Rangers stand for. I hope you die.’" XL flung the paper down. "Well that’s rude! Look at this—they didn’t even bother to sign it!"

Mira took a deep breath. "I wish people understood," she whispered. "I’m not doing this to save my own skin. I accepted this job for the good of the Alliance..."

"Ooh, here’s another letter! Want me to read it too?" asked XL.

"No! Throw it out."

"You sure? ‘Cause maybe this time it’s something nice." He leaned across her desk to give her the envelope.

She shoved it back to him. "I don’t want to see it! I’ve read enough letters like that already!"

"But—" As he was trying to hand it back, one of his arms brushed against a stack of papers and they collapsed, bringing the rest of the stacks down like dominoes. "...oops."

Mira sprung to her feet. "That’s it!" she said, throwing up her hands. "Get out! Both of you! For once would people just let me handle things _by myself_ and leave me alone! You’re not helping!"

XL gulped, staring at the mess on her desk sheepishly, and his brother made a sound that was halfway between a laugh and a cough. "Well, if that’s what you want," said XR, "we’ll be leaving."

"Yeah, we know when we’re not welcome!" XL tossed the envelope back onto the pile. "Guess we’ll see you around."

They left with their heads held up as haughtily as possible.

"So what now, bro?" XR asked when they were outside the office.

"I dunno, man. Anything fun to do around here?"

"Nope, not after Mira turned down the bingo idea."

"This sucks."

XR nodded. "I guess we’ll just have to go home. Come on, let’s catch a taxi. You can stay at my place. Mi casa es su casa! Well, er, except for the fact that’s it’s not actually mi casa, it’s Mira’s casa, but I’m sure she won’t mind."

"Really? She seemed kinda mad at us..."

"Aw, don’t worry about that." XR started down the corridor. "She’ll cool off. Just the stress of the job getting to her."

XL shrugged. "Okay, if you say so, bro."

They’d almost reached the lobby when XR’d treads screeched to a halt. "Craters," he muttered. "I forgot my security pass in Mira’s office. We need to show our passes every time we go in or out. Stupid new rules."

"I’ll get it," XL offered. "I wanna do _something_ right."

"You and me both, bro." XR sighed. "Okay, I’ll wait here and call us that cab."

Hurrying back down the hall, XL almost didn’t notice the figure slipping into one of the offices Zurg had commandeered. He wouldn’t have thought anything of it except he recognised the face. It was Warp Darkmatter, a one-time acquaintance of his. They’d never spoken much, but he knew him from a joint scheme with Zurg and several other notorious criminals which had ended badly. He wondered if he should say hi.

XL crept up to the door and was about to open it to wave at Warp and ask him how he’d been doing when he heard Zurg’s voice from within the walls and cringed. He’d been hoping to avoid Zurg as much as possible. The Planet Z takeover wouldn’t have left the emperor feeling favourably disposed towards him.

"Ah, Darkmatter!" Zurg was saying. "About time you got here!"

"I came as quick as I could, Emperor Z."

"Your idea of quick is about as on point as Lightyear’s idea of witty banter. I was expecting you ten minutes ago, you useless laggard!" XL heard Zurg sigh. "And don’t use any ‘but I was stabbed and almost died, boohoo’ excuses with me, the doctors say you’re fit as a fiddle now!"

Warp coughed. "So what do you want me for anyway, huh? Looking for a new Saturday night bowling partner?"

"If I was, I certainly wouldn’t pick _you_ after what happened last time," the emperor snorted. "In any case, bowling isn’t my game tonight. Power—unlimited power—is!"

"And that’s different from every other night how, exactly?" asked Warp. "Heck, how’s that even different from bowling night?"

"Very funny, Darkmatter, but we don’t have time for idle chitchat. We have to set to work straight away!"

"Why the rush?" Warp yawned. "I was all ready to wind down for the day. You sure it can’t wait?"

XL pressed himself as close to the door as he dared, hoping his movements hadn’t alerted them to his presence.

"That’s your problem, Darkmatter." Zurg sounded exasperated. "You never see the big picture! All you care about is how soon you can get back to your sofa and stretch out, with all the luxuries ill-gotten gains can buy surrounding you, never thinking about the deeper issues behind it all!"

"Anything wrong with that? Maybe you should try it some time." There was a sharpness to Warp’s voice that XL didn’t remember detecting the first time they’d met. "Not everyone wants to play the big bad boogie monster to the rest of the galaxy. Some of us just wanna enjoy life!"

Zurg sighed again. "You simply don’t understand, do you? Your feeble mind can’t grasp the idea that victory _doesn’t matter_ unless it’s absolute! We’ve been settling for a half-share in the galaxy for too long. ‘Oh, we’ve got the Zeta Quadrant, that’ll do! That’s good enough, right?’"

"Well, wasn’t it?" Warp countered. "Hey, don’t get me wrong, Z, conquering the rest of the galaxy... that’s huge. I’m really impressed with what you’ve done here. Never thought you could pull it off. Aw, come on, don’t give me that face! Admit it, you never thought it would work either! Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that as great as all this is, we didn’t need it. We had our little corner, we could do what we wanted there. Star Command only bothered us when we strayed into their territory. It was a good gig!"

"A _good gig_?! Darkmatter, conquering the universe is more than just a ‘gig’!"

"Whatever! But it was a good set-up. We had it made, Zurg. You had your empire, I had my moon, and everyone was happy. Everyone that mattered, anyway. Now we’ve got the whole freakin’ galaxy to control! How easy d’you think that’s gonna be? We got _two_ Lightyears out there who want us out of the picture, not to mention a fleet of Raenoks who aren’t likely to stick to the non-aggression pact we signed with ‘em, and trillions of subjects who could revolt at any moment! That’s crazy, Big Z! I mean, c’mon, was it really worth the trouble?"

XL pondered the question himself. When he’d been working with NOS-4-A2 to take over the galaxy, it had seemed such a simple thing. Kick Zurg out, steal his resources, build a Wirewolf cannon, zap the whole galaxy into Wirewolves, and voila, the cosmos were under their control! The only real snag occurred when XL realised the energy vampire saw him less as an equal and more as an after-dinner snack. If that hadn’t happened, he wondered if he’d still be ruling the galaxy with NOS-4-A2. It was possible. He had no regrets about the way things had turned out, though. He’d come close to finding contentment in his new life—until everything had been taken away from him, of course. _Including Dad._ It was strange to think there was a time when he’d try to kill the old man himself, and now he was mourning his death.

"But don’t you see?" insisted Zurg. "That old life of ours could never be enough! One puny quadrant? Pah! This is about more than just your own petty interests, Darkmatter. This is about evil triumphing! About proving we were right! We have to win, and win absolutely!" He paused. "Do you know what people who are second best are, Warp?"

"No, what?"

"FORGOTTEN!" XL could hear Zurg pacing around the small room. "And that won’t be me!"

There was a longer pause this time. "Oh, get over yourself already," Warp sighed.

"One more word, Darkmatter," said Zurg quietly, "one more word and I’ll shoot you right where you stand and fry popcorn shrimp over your smoldering remains."

XL wondered if that was actually possible. It didn’t sound like the most practical way to cook a meal. Still, a pretty neat threat. He’d have to remember it.

"Just tell me what you want me to do, okay!" said Warp. "I’m tired of this whole stupid conversation!"

"I need you to find something for me. Many things, if possible, but there’s one prize in particular I have my eye on."

"Yeah?"

There was a beep. It sounded like Zurg was showing Warp something on a screen. "You are familiar of course with Planet X, the centre of Natron the First’s lost empire?"

XL heard Warp’s breath catch. "You want me to go back _there_? Do you remember what happened last time?"

"If what I could glean from your sloppy report was true, then yes, I am aware. Oh, don’t trouble yourself, Warp, I’m not asking you to bring back Natron. I have something else in mind this time. Though if you want to start shopping for Holiday gifts early, a space mummy would certainly fill my stocking nicely."

"Don’t count on it."

Zurg chuckled. "I thought not. No, my objective is really quite different. You see, Natron’s empire was the technological highpoint of history. Far too much of that knowledge has since been lost. But his planet’s bound to have a few goodies still left on it, especially since Star Command declared it a no-go area. They haven’t even sent teams in since the first archaeological expedition. Just think, Darkmatter—all that technology, ripe for the taking!"

"Fine, cool. But in case you’ve forgotten, that planet’s also riddled with booby traps! Why do you think even Star Command won’t go down there?"

"Cowards. That’s why. Those snivelling Rangers are too afraid."

Warp chuckled wryly. "Which is why you’re sending _me_ down there instead of going yourself, right?"

"Silence! Darkmatter, I want you to listen very carefully." Zurg lowered his voice. "Any and all technology you find there will be of interest to me, but there’s something specific I want you to look for."

"Yeah?"

"A trans-spacial manipulator. You have no idea what is, do you?"

Even XL had to admit he didn’t recognise the terminology, and he prided himself in keeping up to date with all the latest technological advances.

"Not a clue," said Warp. "What does it look like?"

A short pause. "Ah, now that’s the, er, the dilemma. I don’t actually know."

"Uh-huh. But you expect me to find it, right?"

"I certainly expect you to give it your best shot, Darkmatter. Natron spread his forces across the universe via a network of trans-spacial tunnels. As I don’t have the coordinates to the specific tunnel I’m looking for, I shall have to open a new one. To do that, I need the original technology Natron used."

"Aka the trans-spacial manipulator. Got it."

"Yes. I wish I could give you a description of the device, but nearly all information on it has been lost to time. However, I’m sure you won’t fail me, Warp." Another pause. "Will you?"

"No. Of course not. Evil Emperor."

"Good."

XL could almost feel the chill in the air.

"And of course," continued Zurg, "any other nifty devices you find will be appreciated too. Perhaps we can even find something that’ll help us track down Lightyear."

"I’ll try." Warp didn’t sound too optimistic. "Look, Z, I know you’re big on the whole ‘let’s keep the loyal employees in the dark’ routine, and I understand, I really do—you probably get a kick out of knowing more than we do, and if that makes you happy, great. But I’d feel a lot better knowing _why_ I’m risking my neck on this cosmos-forsaken planet _again_. Just what exactly do you want to do with these trans-spacial tunnels?"

There was a low chuckle from the emperor. "Why, what Natron did, of course. Didn’t I mention unlimited power earlier? As always, you think too small, Darkmatter. You’re too easily satisfied. What good is one galaxy? I want them _all_!"

"What? You... you’re actually gonna take on the _whole universe_?"

"You’d better believe it. And I’m going to win too!"

XL scrambled away from the door. _Aw,_ man! _I gotta tell XR and Mira about this!_ He raced down the corridor, barrelling his way through the halls to Mira’s office and flinging the door open. He flinched at the noise it made as it slammed against the wall, and tried to smile as Mira looked up from her work with a weary groan.

"What now?" she asked. "Can’t you see I’m busy?"

"This is real important!" he cried, placing his hands on her desk. "Get XR here, we gotta talk!"

* * *

Warp dragged a hand down his face, watching as his employer contacted the fleet and explained the plan, asking for Warp’s ship to be brought down to the Plaza. He supposed he had no choice but to go through with the whole crazy scheme now. His eyes remained fixed on Zurg, taking in the emperor’s wild, erratic gestures of excitement. _The guy’s completely nuts—he’s five planets short of a solar system! I always knew it, but craters, he really has lost it now._

Warp wondered why he hadn’t gotten out when he had the chance.

"Excellent!" Zurg closed the channel and slapped his hands together. "Your ship is on its way!"

"Great." Warp sighed. "So you really want me to leave right _now_? I mean, come on, that stuff’s been down there for thousands of years. It’s not gonna run away!"

"No time like the present to pilfer from the past, as Nana Zurg always used to say!"

Warp was pretty sure Zurg simply made up half the sayings he attributed to his grandmother, but he said nothing.

"Besides, Darkmatter," continued the emperor, "I’m _bored_!"

_A bored Zurg. What_ will _the universe do?_ Rolling his eyes, Warp saluted and marched towards the door. "I’ll go get ready then."

"You do that."

As he walked out the office, the full impact of Zurg’s plan suddenly hit him. _He wants to use this trans-spacial whatever gizmo to send armies to every galaxy in the universe. He thinks he can actually conquer the entire cosmos!_ Running a hand through his hair, Warp tried to comprehend a mind that could work on that level. Had Zurg lost all touch with reality? Was this one great victory of theirs getting to his head? _The idiot thinks he’s Natron reborn or something! Well, maybe he is, but he needs to remember his history. Natron was defeated!_

Warp wondered who Natron’s right-hand man had been at the time, and how he’d felt about the whole deal. _What do you do with people like Zurg and Natron? There’s no reasoning with ‘em. They live in their own private fairyland. It’s all, "conquest, conquest, conquest!" with them! I just hope if Zurg goes the way of that space mummy, I don’t go down with him._

He sighed one last time and went to the landing pad to wait for his ship.


	42. Chapter 41

"Zurg’s planning to do _what_?" XR listened in horror as XL repeated the conversation he’d overheard. "Take over every galaxy in the universe? Is he nuts?!"

Mira rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously still asking that after everything we’ve seen? The guy’s been off his rocker for years! The real question is what are we gonna _do_ about it?"

"We have to stop him!" said XL.

"Yeah, no-brainer there, bro, but how?" XR crossed his arms. "Okay, let’s say Zurg gets hold of this thingie he wants and can open up these trans-spacial warps to other galaxies. What does he do then? Send his fleets through and attack everyone like he did here? Come on, he’ll run out of firepower after a couple of galaxies!" The robot brightened. Perhaps this was the answer to all their problems. Maybe Zurg would burn himself out and they could take back their own galaxy!

Biting her lip, Mira looked less hopeful. "You’re forgetting the huge edge trans-space travel will give him," she said. "I mean, that’s why he tried to use the one next to Roswell once, remember? No one will see him coming. He can open up portals right in front of all his targets and blast them out of the sky before they even know what’s hit them. A few well-placed strikes and he can take down every major power in the galaxy with only minimal losses on his side!"

XR’s smile dropped. "Yeah, guess that must’ve been how Natron did it..." _Should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy for us._

"We have to stop him even getting hold of this technology in the first place," decided Mira. "We can’t let him have any more advantages! This has gone too far already!"

"Yeah, but he’s sending Warp out right now," said XL. "We don’t have time to stop him!"

XR watched as various expressions played over Mira’s face. She seemed to be having some kind of internal debate.                           

"There is a chance," she said at last. "It’s risky though..."

"Any riskier than letting Zurg take over the universe?" XR countered.

"Th-the thing is, it’s not just risky to, uh, to us." Mira played with a strand of her fiery hair. "‘Cause, y’know, that I-I could handle. It’s, um, it’s risky to... well, to Buzz."

XR’s eyebrows shot up and he leaned closer to Mira. "Buzz? What does he have to do with this? We haven’t seen Buzz since the battle! No one even knows where he is!" He’d spent many a quiet moment wondering what had happened to his two friends since then, especially Booster. He missed the big guy more than he was willing to let on.

"We don’t _need_ to know where he is," Mira answered. "All we need to do is get a message to him."

"Um, Mira, honey, those two things do kinda go hand in hand, you know."

She scrunched up her face at him in a quick frown and continued. "Look, what I’m saying is, chances are good the cruisers are still programmed to scan for all transmissions on Star Command’s top secret channel..."

"The top secret channel Zurg probably now has access to? _That_ top secret channel?"

"We don’t know Zurg knows about it. I’m talking about the Priority One, Security Level Blue channel. The top of the top secret comm lines."

XR frowned. "Isn’t that reserved for captains only? How are we gonna access that? We don’t have the encryption codes! I mean, sure, I guess we could ask Rocket or Ty or someone, but by then..."

"No time," she agreed. "Luckily, I was once captain of 42. Well, uh, for a little while. Sort of for a day, really. It, uh, wasn’t much of a captaincy. Ahem, anyway, when Buzz was framed for attempted assassination, I was given command, remember? And I was given all the codes. If we’re really, really lucky they’ll still be the ones in use now, and we can set up a secure line to Buzz. A one-way line just in case someone else _is_ listening—I don’t want to compromise Buzz’s location—but good enough for our needs."

"And then we send Buzz out to stop Warp, right?" guessed XL. "Aw, yeah! Bet Zurg won’t be expecting that!"

XR stared at the pair of them. "Have you both gone as nutso as Zurg?" he demanded. "That’s not a good plan! That’s a ‘let’s get caught by Zurg and executed’ kind of plan!"

"Do you have a better one?" Mira folded her arms.

"No, but this is just... just stupid! We’d be risking our lives on the crazy assumption that _maybe_ Zurg didn’t demand access to all our top secret Star Command codes, even though we both know darn well he would have!"

She raised her hands up in frustration. "Well, what else are we supposed to do? Tell me that, XR! Because I am not gonna sit by and watch Zurg get any more powerful than he already is!"

"Hey, I don’t want that either, but—"

"You don’t know what’s going on, okay? People are suffering, they’re starving! There are planets that are in ruins because of him! It has to stop!"

XR gulped. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Mira so worked up. "I get it, I get it," he whispered. "Eh... we’ll think of something, Mira. But this is suicide. I won’t let you do it!"

Her huge Tangean eyes shone back at him in the dim light of the office, glowing with anger. "You won’t _let_ me?!"

"I promised I would protect you!"

"It’s not up to you!"

"I just don’t want you to get hurt!" _I can’t lose anyone else._

"I don’t need protecting, okay?" She was pacing around the room now. "It’s bad enough I get this kind of thing from my father and from Buzz, but I’m certainly not going to take it from a stupid little robot!"

"Well there’s Tangean gratitude for you! I try to help and you—"

"Just _shut up_! I’m doing this and you can’t stop me!" Mira flung herself back into the chair beside her desk, sending a stack of papers flurrying to the floor.

XR stared at her, his metal lips quivering, then he pulled himself together stiffly. "Oh yeah? You think so? Because... ‘cause you’re wrong! How are you gonna contact Buzz without me, hmm? Lemme tell you, it’s gonna be tough finding a transmitter around here with the range you need to reach wherever the heck Buzz is! Oh, sure, you could use the official comm link here in your office, but you know as well as I do Zurg will be monitoring that. So what are you gonna do, hmm?" He grinned triumphantly. "All you’ve got is me, and I won’t transmit that message for you!"

There was a long pause. Mira was scowling at him with an intensity even Commander Nebula would’ve shrunk under.

"I’ll do it," said XL.

"Huh?" XR swung around to face his brother.

"I’ll do it," the other robot repeated. "I’ve got a transceiver inside me too. I receive long distance faxes all the time. I can send the message!"

_Oh, great. Bro wants to be the hero._ "XL," he explained patiently, "this isn’t a game. This isn’t like tic tac toe. It would be incredibly dangerous!"

"I’m not stupid!" XL curled his thin fingers into a fist. "You always treat me like I’m an idiot, but you know nothin’! Guess what, _little brother_ , I was out robbing freighters and building doomsday weapons while you were still being daddy’s little boy and clinging to Pop like a pathetic brat! So don’t act like I’m some clueless dummy who doesn’t understand the real world! I know what I’m doin’!"

XR backed away from his brother. He wondered how he’d forgotten so quickly the fear he used to have for him. "I... I was just..."

"Do you really think you can get the message out?" Mira asked XL.

"Sure can! Just give me the frequency and I’ll start broadcasting before you can say ‘Zurg stinks’!"

What was he going to do? His two remaining friends were about to make a terrible mistake. What kind of person would he be if he didn’t stop them? "Guys, please," begged XR. "Zurg’s gonna find out!"

"Look, you said you didn’t want to help, so get out of here!" Mira beckoned XL closer and turned her back on XR. "We don’t need you!"

Wringing his hands, XR suddenly felt helpless. "Well... well, fine! I don’t need you either!" He swallowed down his fear and let anger replace it. "I tried to warn you, but it looks like no one’s interested in my advice, so I’ll just go now! I wash my hands of this whole thing!" With a dramatic wave of said hands, he marched out. As he left, he could hear Mira giving XL the frequency and the necessary codes.

He sighed. All his life, he’d wanted to be right about everything, but this time he hoped he was wrong. If Zurg really was monitoring the channel, he would lose the only friend and the only family he had left.

* * *

Booster dropped himself gratefully into his well-padded chair, feeling it creak as he leaned back. He glanced down at his chest. The green of his suit was stained brown with oil and dirt, and his hands were a matching shade of yuck. _Just a short rest and then I’ll go take a shower,_ he decided. Not a real shower, of course—they couldn’t afford to waste water like that. There was a lake nearby but Buzz didn’t want them to waste valuable time lugging barrels of water around, and the filtration process was a drain on their power systems anyway. _And Dr. Furbanna might get mad if we mess around with her lake,_ Booster thought. He liked Ozma, but he couldn’t help being just a tiny bit frightened of her. So, with water out of the question, a particle beam shower would have to do. It tickled a bit when the energy beam bounced all the dirt off, but he’d gotten used to it.

The doors opened and Buzz joined him on the bridge, equally filthy. "At least that’s the engine repairs taken care of," he sighed, wiping a hand over his face. It just smudged the dirt around some more. "We can work on the plasma cannons tomorrow."

"If we’re not super stiff and sore tomorrow," groaned Booster. "I don’t think I ever felt this tired before, even after a long bunzel harvest back on the farm!"

"A Ranger perseveres, Booster."

"Yeah, I guess." A long vacation would be nice though. But he knew Buzz was right.

Buzz settled in the captain’s chair. "I talked to Ranger Kayuga a moment ago. He’s got his environmental systems functioning properly again. Repairs are looking good."

"Ozma’s helped a lot," Booster put in. "She’s been loaning us all this equipment and stuff."

"Yeah."

"So... is she happy that you’re here? Are you and her—?"

Buzz cast a stern eyebrow in his direction. "My relationship isn’t open for discussion, Ranger."

"Oops. Sorry." Booster looked away. He hoped Buzz and Ozma were getting along well. They seemed to be, but that could change so quickly with them.

The pair were silent for awhile. Buzz stared at the colourful, darkening sky that hung over the thick jungle. "I wish I knew what we were going to do after we get the ships repaired," he murmured.

"You’ll think of something," said Booster.

"And if I don’t?" His captain sighed again. "Sometimes even I can’t see a way out of this mess..."

Booster gulped. As long as Buzz had hope, he could try not to be afraid. It didn’t always work, but at least he knew he could do whatever was asked of him. He’d follow Buzz into any fire, no matter how unlikely their chances of getting out alive, just because he believed in him. But when even Buzz didn’t have the answers, his own strength crumbled.

_Beep-beep. Beep-beep._

They were both startled by the abrupt sound coming from the comm system.

"Is... is that someone trying to contact us?" Booster asked.

A frown crossed Buzz’s face. "Maybe. It’s on the Priority One channel." The frown deepened. "I don’t like this. Could be a Zurg trick..."

"What do we do?"

"I’m putting it on speakers," he said, turning a knob on the console. "I won’t respond till I’m sure it’s safe. If we link up with this signal, we’ll be giving away our position."

The speakers crackled and static filled the air, quickly replaced by a familiar voice which made Booster’s heart ache with joy and homesickness. "This is Mira Nova to Buzz Lightyear. Repeat, Mira Nova to Buzz Lightyear. Do not respond to this message—under no circumstances open a channel back to me. But... but please listen."

Buzz seemed to be holding his breath. Booster could see he too was affected by the sound of their friend’s voice. His eyes looked moist, and his hands had tightened around the sides of his chair.

"Buzz..." There was a pause. "I don’t know if you can hear me. You might not be in 42 right now, you might... I dunno, you might not even still be— Okay, look, y’know what? You’re Buzz Lightyear, and I believe in you. I _know_ you’re listening to this. That’s just how it’s always going to be with you. You’re our hero, Buzz, and we need you."

There was definitely a tear shining in Buzz’s eye now.

"Normally I wouldn’t risk anything like this, but we just found out Zurg is sending Warp to Planet X to find some device that’ll give him access to intergalactic travel. The megalomaniac wants to take over the whole universe! I don’t know if he could actually pull it off, but we’re not going to give him the chance. Buzz, there’s nothing I can do here, so I need you. You have to go to Planet X and stop Warp. Please, Buzz, I can’t sit by and watch Zurg cause any more devastation." Her voice sounded so fragile. "And please, if you can... come save us. I don’t care how, just do it. I know you’ll manage somehow. You’ve never let me down before, Buzz. Good luck. Mira—no, _Ranger_ Mira Nova out."

Booster exchanged a glance with his captain. For a moment neither of them could speak. "Guess we’re going to Planet X," said Buzz finally.

* * *

Nebula was washing his face beside the small basin in his quarters (which weren’t really quarters at all, they were just another cell) when Xlgta entered with a tray of breakfast. It was more of the usual boring glop she seemed to have taken aboard in large quantities before they left the LGMs, but he was hungry enough that he didn’t care. He towelled his face dry and sat on the cot, accepting the tray from her with a grunt. Escape was still on his mind, but Xlgta watched his every move and her reflexes were always quicker than he would’ve believed possible. So that morning he decided he was just going to enjoy his meal and leave the scheming and break-outs for another time.

"No headaches?" the woman inquired. She no longer wore her helmet. That pretense had dropped away.

"Huh? No. Why?" He eyed her with suspicion.

"Telepathic contact can sometimes leave one mentally drained. I was afraid after yesterday you might be suffering some ill effects."

He snorted. That was just the sort of thing that made him so distrustful of all these psychic shenanigans. He didn’t like having his head messed with. "Nothing yet, but I’ll let you know if my brain starts leaking out my ears."

"I’m fairly certain that will not happen." She smiled. "Perhaps soon we can begin again."

Nebula dropped the spoon he’d been using to shovel the cold gruel into his mouth. "Again? You wanna screw around in my thoughts some more? Ain’t happening, lady!"

"I have to make you see," Xlgta insisted.

"What? That Zurg is some pathetic kid who just needs a positive role model like you in his life? You think I’m ever gonna buy that?"

She sighed. "You could at least keep an open mind."

"You’ve been opening my mind a little too much lately if you ask me."

Her aged features hardened. "I can do it with or without your permission, but I would prefer for us to be in agreement upon the matter."

He knew she was right. He could do nothing to stop her if she really wanted to force Zurg’s memories inside his head. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t get something of his own out of the deal. "Hmph. Sure. Well, you want my cooperation, you’re gonna have to earn it. I ask questions, you give me answers, and I’ll go along with your little show-and-tell exhibit."

Xlgta examined her fingers, apparently considering. "Very well," she answered at last. "That seems reasonable."

"Great. Now that we’ve got that worked out, I got my first question." He leaned forward. "Who’s this ‘One’ you mentioned yesterday, hmm? Anyone I should know about?"

She settled on the opposite bunk. "They were from long before your time, though if your people had actually bothered to learn more about the LGMs instead of simply using them for your own purposes, perhaps you would know all this already." She paused. "A long, long time ago, the LGMs were a curious, scientific race who conquered interstellar travel while most other societies were still in their infancy. They sent expeditions roaming the galaxy, studying and cataloguing everything they saw. They were a peaceful people. Then Natron rose up."

"What idiot ever gave him power anyway?" asked Nebula.

"He was a scientist, much like they were." She shrugged. "In those primitive, early days of the universe, he somehow crafted technology that was like magic to the rest of your galaxy. With such wonders comes power. And with power comes ambition."

"So he got it into his head to start taking over stuff."

"Precisely. And he was never content. Not even with his own galaxy. He spread his forces out far and wide, as I have told you, conquering my own world and many others." Xlgta smiled. "But the LGMs—those proud, simple beings—they would not surrender. They had stayed out of his way as long as they could, but at last he turned his eye to them. He offered them the chance to give in without bloodshed, but they refused. Natron was wary of their technology, knowing they were one of the few races that might pose a threat to his superiority, so instead of outright conquest he slipped a plague into their midst."

Nebula frowned. Some of the less pleasant politicians (a relative term, since he had yet to meet a pleasant one) in the senate were always lobbying for Star Command to delve into biological warfare research, but he’d stamped his foot down on that idea as hard as he could. There was something profoundly revolting about the whole concept. A good old-fashioned laser gun and a fair fight was the way it should be.

"They started dying in horrific numbers," Xlgta went on. "Those that were uninfected built the tunnels beneath the city to keep themselves safe. For a time, they held out, then the virus somehow slipped into their ranks too." Her old eyes turned down to the floor, as if heavy with sadness for a tragedy that had happened so long ago. "Their race was facing extinction, and even with all their science there was nothing they could do. The few remaining survivors realised they had one chance left. They had one LGM who was confirmed to be immune to the virus. They used that individual as a genetic template and set up cloning factories. It was the only way for their species to survive."

"So you’re saying all the LGMs alive today... are clones?"

She nodded. "But it wasn’t enough to simply save their species. They wanted to save their culture as well. So there, deep in the chambers of their underground refuge, the last survivors gathered around a psytronium orb, one they had mined from a comet and brought back for study many years before. Using their natural telepathic powers, they linked with it and with each other, and infused every piece of knowledge they had into the orb. Their essence would live on in it, and the future generations of clones would connect to it to gain that knowledge."

This was all news to Nebula. He suddenly realised how little the LGMs had actually told the Galactic Alliance of their history. He wasn’t sure he blamed them.

"There had to be a unifying consciousness to maintain the hive mind, however," Xlgta continued. "Otherwise it would quickly dissolve into chaos. So the last LGM, the one that remained untainted by the disease, stepped inside the sphere and became One with it."

"You talked to him," Nebula realised. "That’s what you were doing with the Uni-mind. That LGM still lives inside there and you were talking to him."

"Their consciousness lives on, yes. And I needed them to give me Zurg’s memories."

Of course. Zurg had linked with the Uni-mind once to pervert it for his own purposes. Buzz had also linked with it to restore it back to its proper state. Nebula wondered if there were any traces of him still floating inside the sphere as well. He leaned forward. "So if all the LGMs died except for the clones, what happened then? Did Natron win?"

She shook her head. "He thought he had, and he sent a fleet to take control of the planet. They were very surprised to find the LGMs still alive, though of course these were the freshly-produced clones, guided by the mind of the One. The LGMs were afraid, but they refused  once again to surrender. They summoned all their strength to form a mental barrier to protect themselves, but they knew it would never be enough. The soldiers prepared to kill them."

"Yeah? How did they get out of that one? I mean, the little green beans are still around, so obviously they won out somehow."

"Help came from an unlikely source," chuckled Xlgta. "One of the soldiers couldn’t bring himself to gun down innocent people. Instead, he turned on his comrades and fought back the invasion party. From then on he gained a reputation as the Protector."

_The Protector. Huh. I always thought that was just a myth._

"That, of course, is another story," Xlgta finished. "One I do not feel entitled to tell. But like all good stories, it ended happily, with Natron vanquished and the universe free again."

"Until now." Nebula stood up. "Now the galaxy’s in chains and a tyrant’s back on the throne. A tyrant you wanna protect! Are you honestly able to tell me Zurg is any different from Natron?"

"Well..."

"Just like I thought! Natron got what he deserved, and I hope to high heaven Zurg gets what’s coming to him too! And if me or one of my Rangers can be the one to dish it out, all the better!"

Xlgta leaped to her feet. There was a hot fury in her eyes and she slammed her palms against either side of Nebula’s head. The familiar pounding in his skull returned and reality spun to pieces, replaced by a dark sky that glowed red and a street full of screaming people.

Nebula took in the frenzied mob around him. They were the same species as Zurg and Xlgta, and they rushed about as fires burned against the horizon, and the ground shook every time a loud boom sounded in the distance. What may have once been a beautiful city was being reduced to ruins.

"Where are we?" Nebula swung his head left and right, adrenaline coursing through his body. A battle readiness had automatically come over him.

Xlgta stood like a solemn statue, observing the chaos around her. "I wasn’t here when this happened," she whispered. "I was fighting the enemy in the swamp pits of Xothal. Winning." She laughed bitterly. "I only arrived when it was all over."

"What is this? What’s going on?" The people were screaming with a kind of terror that seemed to creep inside Nebula’s bones. They flooded through the street in a blind panic, some stumbling and getting trampled by the others. Some carried bundles, others clung to the hands of wailing children. All tried to get through the mad rush to a huge, shining rocket which was parked on a nearby pad. A long row of armed guards were trying to keep them back. It didn’t look like they’d be able to hold them off much longer.

"This is the last day of the empire." Xlgta’s voice almost broke. "The day my life all but ended. The civil war has reached the Capitol and soon troops will storm the Imperial Palace where my empress is, and..." She didn’t finish.

Nebula suddenly spied a familiar figure amongst the crowd. A boy was being herded along by his wide-eyed mother, while guards escorted them through the turmoil. Both mother and child looked shocked and confused.

"That’s—"

"Yes," said Xlgta. "The empress refused to leave the city, but she would not let her family share her danger. Her last action was to ensure their safety."

Nebula followed the boy and his mother. They were led to the barricade of soldiers surrounding the rocket and allowed to pass through. All around them people were shrieking at them for help, begging to be allowed to join them on the ship. The boy stopped to look at them, and Nebula felt the wave of confusing emotions he must have been feeling. His mother yanked his arm and hurried him along. They rushed up the ramp and the hatch closed. By this time the barricade had been overrun and people streamed onto the landing pad, but it was too late. The engines fired up and the crowd had to retreat, several unlucky souls not clearing the area in time and being reduced to smouldering ash by the powerful blast as the rocket left the landing pad and roared off into the sky. The little boy was watching from the window.

"He will see his home again," said Xlgta quietly. "That was the condition of my surrender. I returned to the city too late to save the empress—she was already half-dead when I reached her—but I swore I would fight to the death along with all my troops unless the empress’s daughter and grandson were allowed to live. And so, the new rulers of the empire let them come back in safety, but made it clear neither of them would ever reign as empress or emperor. They could live in peace only as long as they obeyed the new regime."

Gazing at the carnage and despair around them, Nebula stroked his moustache thoughtfully. "Okay, look, I get it. War, as they say, is hell. Tell me something I don’t know. But that doesn’t justify what Zurg became! If you have a tough life then go cry to your momma about it, but don’t take it out on the rest of the universe! No amount of pain will ever give you that right!"

The scene was starting to fade. Nebula supposed the rocket had flown too high for the young Zurg to see what was happening in the streets below, and thus the world created from his memories was disintegrating. He continued to pace around in it. "Look at the LGMs," he said. "You just told me about everything they went through, and do you know what happened? Did they turn into homicidal monsters? No! They live in peace! All they wanna do is help people!"

"I do not disagree," said Xlgta. "I have told you already that I don’t approve of what Zurg has done. But the man he is now was not forged entirely through his own actions, and I want you to understand that! Perhaps then you will see he can still be saved."

"Yeah, and I say he doesn’t deserve saving! Maybe once, maybe that kid did, but not anymore!"

"So you are without mercy?"

"For him? You bet!"

The real world had now completely reformed around them. "That is how Zurg and Natron were able to do everything they did," she said, her voice low. "Because they lacked mercy. Total disregard for another life is never a virtue, Commander Nebula. Not even when they’re your enemy."

Nebula just shrugged.


	43. Chapter 42

After a giving quick summary of the situation, Buzz and Booster had said their goodbyes to the other Rangers and Ozma, and headed out in 42. The engine repairs had proven timely, as they had a considerable distance to cross. It was a shorter journey from Karn to Planet X than the one Warp would have to take, however, which would give them the advantage. Booster remained relatively silent as the hours ticked away.

They were travelling deeper and deeper into uncharted space. Star Command had sent a few missions into these regions, but after the incident with Natron it had been declared off-limits until they could decide what to do about it. Eager scientists and archaeologists were clamouring for a chance to study the lost world, but their requests were always denied. The Galactic Alliance still felt the planet was too dangerous to be explored until they had a better idea of what they were dealing with. Booster shivered when he remembered Natron.

_I don’t want to go back there,_ he thought. But he knew they had to stop Warp. He just wished he could shake off the jitters that had come over him.

At last Planet X came into view. The huge yellow sphere looked barren even from space, a world of sand and dust and desolation. According to the LGMs’ initial survey, there had been water there once, but now the oceans were as dry as everything else on the planet. It was a world lost to time, hanging onto existence but not truly alive anymore, like a collection of old bones.

Buzz brought the cruiser down through the atmosphere, landing on flat stretch of sand that was a short distance from the city. Giant clouds of dust swirled up as the ship settled. Booster followed his captain out the hatch and they dropped onto the ground and began crossing the sizzling dunes. The wind had swept patterns into the sand that zigzagged off into the distance, meeting the startling blue sky at the horizon. It was almost beautiful, in a bleak sort of way.

Booster wiped his brow. The internal temperature regulator in his suit was keeping the heat at tolerable levels, but he still wished he had a refreshing glass of his ma’s bunzelberry juice to gulp down. He began to huff and pant. The sand almost felt as if it were trying to suck him in with every step he took, and dragging his feet out each time was beginning to exhaust him. It seemed to take forever for them to reach the city.

When they finally arrived, he couldn’t help pausing to gaze all around at the forgotten place they had entered. The buildings were ancient but still holding strong, only a few bricks crumbling and the odd bit of paint chipping off. But it was so quiet. A lonely wind whistled through the stonework, the only sound besides Booster and Buzz’s laboured breathing. The city had the eeriness of a graveyard—which, Booster realised, it sort of was. He looked up at Natron’s tomb, where it loomed over the rest of the city, casting its oppressive shadow upon everything. Somewhere inside, the space mummy lay trapped in his sarcophagus, sleeping what Booster hoped would be an endless sleep. Not quite dead, but not quite alive either.

"So... what do we do?" he asked Buzz. "Do we look around for this thing Zurg wants?"

Buzz shook his head. "Negative. We know nothing about it. It could take days to find it, if it’s even here. We’ve got to make sure Zurg never gets his hands on _anything_ in the city!"

"How do we do that?"

"With this." He took a small device from his suit. "A miniature plasma bomb. Detonate it in the right spot and we’ll bring all these sand dunes down on the city. It’ll be buried again like it should be. That way, when Darkmatter shows up, he won’t find anything here but dust!"

"Cool!"

Buzz began scouting around, poking his head into various buildings as he searched for the right place to plant the bomb. Booster followed behind nervously, hoping the city was as dead as it looked. Though he also wished there was some sort of noise to break the silence. A few bird calls would be nice.

Finally, Buzz stopped behind a beautifully-crafted wall made of interlocking stones. It stood beside a massive dune, holding the sand back. "This should do the trick," he said, securing the bomb to the wall. "When this baby goes it’ll take everything down with it." His fingers worked a dial on the device, setting the timer. "I’m giving us a nice long headstart to get back to 42."

A low whine overhead jarred the quietness that Booster was just starting to get used to. Both Rangers stopped in their tracks and swung their heads up. Booster shielded his eyes against the sun.

"Uh-oh! Buzz, look!" Pointing to the sky, he directed Buzz to the red shape descending towards the city.

"Warp Darkmatter." Buzz shot a look over his shoulder at 42, standing brazenly out in the open with sunlight gleaming off its hull. "He’ll know we’re here!"

"What are we gonna do?" Booster whimpered.

A green pulse flared down from the ship, slamming into the ground beside them and sending sand flying in all directions. It got into Booster’s eyes and stung against his skin, and the smoke pouring up from the crater made it difficult to breathe. He began to cough, momentarily stunned by the blast.

"Run!" shouted Buzz.

The pair jogged across the wide streets, dashing between buildings as they dodged Warp’s laser fire. The stillness that had cloaked the city before had now been completely obliterated.

"In here!" Buzz ducked inside a solid-looking structure, grabbing Booster by the arm and dragging him in.

Booster pointed to a flight of steps leading down. "Underground!"

"Good thinking, Ranger! We’ll be safer in there!"

They plunged down the stairs into darkness.

* * *

There were a lot of reasons Warp hadn’t been pleased with his latest assignment. The sheer craziness of it was one of them—whatever faith he’d gained in Zurg after the conquest of the Galactic Alliance was rapidly starting to fade—but more importantly, there was the overwhelming memory of just how _bad_ his first trip to Planet X had been. Not just bad in the "I didn’t bring back the space mummy like I was supposed to and Zurg got mad at me" sense, though that was never a good thing either. It was a special, "I had the life sucked out of me and got turned into a wizened old husk" kind of bad. The kind you had nightmares about for weeks afterwards.

So yeah, he wasn’t happy about going back to that stupid hunk of rock that didn’t even have the decency to have a proper name he could curse (who called a planet "Planet X" anyway?). And he wasn’t happy about being sent out on a wild goose chase to find some device he wouldn’t recognise if it fell out of the sky and hit him on the head. And finally, he was especially not happy to see 42 already there, parked right next to the city like it was part of the architecture.

One thing did make him happy, though. His scanners caught sight of Buzz and the Jo-Adian rookie out in the open, sitting ducks for his laser cannons.

_Hey, maybe I just found my ticket to becoming Employee of the Century._ If he could take out Lightyear he’d win all the brownie points he’d ever need with Zurg. The emperor might even forget all about his crazy plans and go back to being the normal, purple-obsessed, troll doll-collecting knitting enthusiast slash evil despot that Warp knew how to handle. He grinned and started firing at the tiny pair of Space Rangers on the ground below.

They ran for their lives, predictably evading Warp’s best shots. _Ugh, Lightyear, would it kill you to be a little less perfect for once?_ Technically it would in this case, but that wasn’t the point. He tried to get a lock but they were moving too fast. _Aw, come on!_

They rushed into a building and Warp felt his spirits lift. So, Buzz thought that structure would protect him? Boy was he wrong. "Just gotta aim at the centre of the roof, and..." Warp bit his tongue as he adjusted the targeting lock. "Fire!" A volley of green lights left his ship, crashing into the roof of the building. Dust rose up as the stonework collapsed. It brought the walls down with it, and everything crumbled violently to the ground. When the dust and smoke cleared it was a flattened heap of ruins.

_No one could’ve survived that._ Warp checked himself. _Well, almost no one. Better go down for a closer look, just to make sure._ Buzz actually being dead wasn’t something you could put money on. The man had a nasty habit of being alive just when you least expected it. Which, to be fair, was a trick Warp himself had once pulled.

He ejected from his ship, leaving it parked above the city. Swooping down to the ground and converting his metal hand into a gun, and he took a tentative step towards the smoking rubble.

"Hey, Lightyear? You still out there anyway?" The only reply was grit crumbling away beneath his feet as he picked his way carefully through the fallen bricks. "Surrender now and maybe I’ll execute you right here instead of handing you over to Zurg."

Nothing.

Warp looked around. There was a lot of debris, but he couldn’t see the squished remains of Buzz or Booster amongst it anywhere. Buzz’s body might’ve gotten covered by rubble, but the big guy? There should’ve been _some_ sign of him.

"Craters!" He kicked at one of the stones, sending it flying away in a shower of dust. "He did it again!" The question was _how_. He knew they hadn’t left the building. Then his eyes fell on the answer.

Several feet away was a hole in the floor, half obscured by a fallen pillar but clearly leading down underground. Lightyear had to be there.

"Guess it’s onward and downward," he muttered. "Story of my life."

* * *

Buzz was glad he had his flashlight with him. It was pitch black in the stone hallways beneath the city. He and Booster treaded carefully along the passage, Buzz constantly scanning the area in front of them for danger. So far the worst he’d seen was a large spider that looked less than sociable, but past experience had taught him Natron’s city was riddled with traps. It was sort of a prerequisite for ancient lost cities, really. Must’ve been part of the building code back then.

They’d heard a loud boom above which Buzz guessed was Warp destroying the structure they’d entered. Fortunately, the ceiling held and the only damage was a shower of dust and plaster that fell in Buzz’s eye. He decided they would move on rather than wait around the entrance and hope Warp left. Perhaps there was another exit somewhere.

"What do you think this place is?" whispered Booster.

"I don’t know. Could lead to anything. Underground temple, dungeons, wine cellar..." Buzz shrugged and carried on. He hoped they wouldn’t have to travel too far.

Booster swatted at an old cobweb that caught around his face. "I don’t like it here, Buzz."

"Neither do I, Booster." Perhaps it was his imagination, but he could almost feel the evil infused in the walls. From what little he’d gleaned during their last encounter with Natron, it seemed his empire had been built on suffering and oppression and death. That kind of thing lasted, no matter how many centuries passed. He wondered how many slaves had died building this city.

They continued down the hallway, turning several corners until at last they came to a door. Buzz shone his flashlight over it. It was covered in strange symbols which he assumed were some kind of pictographic text, but without a robot like XR to run translation computations he was clueless as to its meaning. "Guess we’re just gonna have to go in there and hope for the best," he said to Booster.

Booster winced. "I hope there aren’t any more mummies or anything."

"Heh, I’m pretty sure we don’t have to worry about that." Inwardly, he felt less confident. There might be a Ranger-eating monster on the other side of that door, or they could step through into a bottomless pit, or any number of other terrible things, but he wasn’t about to share such concerns with the poor kid.

Seeing no obvious way to open it, Buzz dug his fingertips into the crack that ran between the door and the wall and pulled. Booster helped. Their combined strength forced it to give and they slowly dragged the stone door open.

"Phew." Buzz wiped his forehead. "Alright, let’s see what’s in here." He picked up his flashlight and stepped inside.

The beam illuminated a wide room which had stone walls like the rest of the tunnels, but also contained large metal contraptions covered in buttons and screens. _Computers,_ Buzz realised. _Ancient yet highly advanced computers._ They were unlike anything he’d seen before. It would’ve been an archaeologist’s paradise. There were tables scattered throughout the room, holding various artefacts covered in several millennia’s worth of dust. Some of them looked too primitive for the setting—more the sort of thing you expected to find in the hands of some stone age society still learning the value of personal hygiene—while others would’ve wowed Star Command’s brightest LGMs. All were beautifully designed, just as much thought being given to form as to function. Natron certainly had an eye for detail, Buzz would give him that.

"I think we’ve stumbled onto some kind of lab, Booster." He remembered the room they’d found Warp in after Natron had stolen the lifeforce from him. That one was similar, but clearly focused on the medical sciences. This looked like a research and development type place.

Booster glanced around. "Oh, maybe this is where the device Zurg wants is!"

"Good point. Let’s check it out." Moving to one of the tables, Buzz picked up the nearest item. It was a smooth, reed-like metallic object which served no obvious purpose. He squinted at it from multiple angles, then put it down. His next choice was a flat device connected to a leather strap, reminding him almost of a wristwatch. It was patterned with raised symbols, and there seemed to be a pair of viewing scopes on one side. Buzz held them up to his face, peering into the holes. He half expected to see a whirl of colours like in the old photon kaleidoscope he’d had as a kid. Instead, he saw a pair blank screens. "Hmm, don’t think this is what we’re looking for." He was about to put it down when he felt a faint vibration in the device. Was it his imagination, or was it beginning to hum? He stared at the screens again. A picture was forming.

The world around him seemed to die away. All that he was aware of was the hum of the device, the sharpening image in front of his eyes, and the beating of his heart. It seemed to echo in his ears. The image finally came into focus and Buzz’s breath escaped in one short gasp. He easily recognised the streets of Capital Planet, especially the Alliance Plaza, where the Senate building used to stand so proudly in the centre of the city. But now it wasn’t standing. It lay in a mess across the battle-scarred streets, jumbled with the remains of the rest of city. Where there used to be skyscrapers there was now only empty sky, grey and dead-looking. He couldn’t see any people either. Everything had been reduced to bleak devastation.

Buzz wanted to pull away. He knew it was only an image on a screen, and if he stopped watching, it would stop seeming real. But his eyes remained fixed to the chilling sight. It was just a little too close to the truth for him to dismiss entirely. He’d seen what Zurg had done to Capital Planet—not destruction on quite this scale, but bad enough. Countless people had lost their lives and many areas had been levelled. The knowledge of what had happened haunted his thoughts often.

The image suddenly changed. He saw a figure sprawled across the steps of the Senate, face-down and lying amidst a thickening pool of blood. The long, red tresses of her hair had fallen into the liquid, soaking it up. Buzz didn’t need to see a face to know who the figure was. _Mira!_ The throbbing of his heart increased, pounding in his ears.

The next scene to flash onto the screen was of a scrapyard. Old junk was being thrown into a compactor by a pair of workers and crushed into cubes. Buzz relaxed. At least this seemed harmless enough. Then he heard the screams.

"Let me go! Let me go!" The workers were now dragging a short, thrashing figure towards the compactor. "Please! You wouldn’t do this to a poor robot, would you?"

It was XR. The workers just laughed and shoved him into the machine. One of them pulled the lever.

"No!" XR shrieked as the compactor came down.

Buzz shut his eyes, feeling sick. When he opened them again, there was a white-and-green cube of metal sitting in the machine where his friend had been. Then the scene changed again.

Booster was backing against a wall. His breathing was shallow and he looked spent. There were sounds of fighting in the distance, but the young rookie was all alone in his corner, his legs shaking as the last of his strength threatened to give out. Someone was advancing on him but Buzz couldn’t see who it was. Booster raised his wrist laser desperately, trying to fire it. Nothing happened. It looked like it had been damaged in whatever fight the boy had been through. He let his arm drop in defeat and braced himself, shutting his eyes. There was the high-pitched zap of a laser, a brief flare of light, and Booster crumpled to the ground. Buzz had to force down the nausea at the sight of the gaping head wound.

_This isn’t real_ , he told himself. _I don’t know what sick mind game is being played on me, but it hasn’t happened!_

The view shifted slightly. Booster’s murderer had turned his back on the scene and was standing in the shadows, gazing out a ship’s window. He seemed to be chuckling. Outside, Buzz could see Capital Planet glistening against black space. Within was a familiar interior. Buzz would’ve recognised it anywhere. _The bridge of Zurg’s Dreadnought!_

Horror turned to anger. _So this is Zurg’s handiwork! He killed Booster and XR and Mira!_ Buzz clenched his fist so hard it hurt.

Then he relaxed his hand again slowly and let out a deep breath. _It’s not real,_ he reminded himself. _It’s some kind of illusion._ He dropped the device and it clanged on the table. Around him was the same dark lab he and Booster had entered together, and his partner stood beside him unharmed, looking slightly concerned. Buzz grinned in relief.

"You okay?" Booster asked.

"Yeah." He felt his breathing return to normal. "Sure. Never better." Whatever he’d just seen had been fake. This was reality, and his team was still alive.

And yet... He picked up the device again and studied it. Something about it seemed familiar, tugging at some forgotten memory in the depths of his mind. The scopes through which he’d peered, some of the symbols, the little blue lights that were dancing across the flat surface now that it was active... all of them reminded him of something. It was a subtle feeling—he knew he’d never seen a device exactly like this one before—but it nagged at him all the same.

He stared at the symbols more closely. He’d thought they were metal, but they seemed to change and shift before his eyes. Somehow he knew they represented numbers. _No, not just numbers. Dates._ And then he remembered where he’d seen them before.

_The time watch!_

When his older self had travelled back in time to save Mira, Buzz had eyed his time watch pretty thoroughly, mostly because he couldn’t believe the thing really worked. It had had the same line of flashing blue lights, a pair of similar scopes on the side, and most importantly the same symbols. Alien digits. Why would a time watch he himself had built have alien digits beneath the Standard numerals?

Buzz could only reach one conclusion. His future self had created it by reverse engineering alien technology. It made sense, after all—he was no scientist, and even if he learned the basics in his quest to save Mira, there was little chance of him inventing something as revolutionary as a time travel device. Not even Zurg had technology like that. He would’ve needed some kind of starting point to base it on.

_What if... what if this is it? This is how it all began—I used this device as a template._ It was a spooky feeling, realising he was following a path that in some ways he’d already taken. As if it had all been predestined. However, he knew time wasn’t quite as immutable as that. After all, he’d stopped Mira from dying, hadn’t he?

But if this device was the template, that could only mean it was connected to time travel in some way. Perhaps it too could be used for temporal travel, or perhaps it couldn’t take you to the past or the future, but it could give you glimpses up and down the timeline. Had he been seeing the future?

_No! That can’t be our future—it won’t be!_ He took a deep breath. Zurg wasn’t going to win. The Alliance wasn’t going to be reduced to rubble. And he was darn sure his team wasn’t going to die. He wouldn’t let them.

_The future can be changed. I proved that with Mira. I can prove it again._ He set the device down, deciding not to tell Booster what he’d seen. "Sorry about that." He smiled. "Just felt a bit funny there for a second. Probably all this stale air."

"Maybe we should rest awhile," suggested Booster.

"No, no time. We have to keep moving." Buzz looked around the lab. "The sooner we can get back to 42, the better. I didn’t get a chance to finish the arming sequence on the bomb, but I think I can remote detonate it from the cruiser. This place needs to be buried."

"Well, okay, if you’re sure, Buzz..."

Buzz nodded and marched on, finding a door at the other end of the room. He was relieved when it opened into another empty corridor, which appeared as harmless as the previous one they’d passed through. With any luck, it would eventually lead up to the surface again. He just hoped that if there was another entrance, it wasn’t in Natron’s tomb. Mira had sealed the tomb on their last visit so there was no way out through there, and he didn’t particularly want to have to turn around and go all the way back again. Plus the tomb was just plain spooky.

"What about the device Zurg wanted?" asked Booster, lingering in the lab. "Do you think it’s here? If it is, shouldn’t we try to find it?"

"We don’t know anything about it. We wouldn’t know what to look for." Buzz shrugged. "Besides, Booster, this whole place is going to be lost under a few hundred tons of sand by the time we’re through with it. I think even Zurg’s got better things to do than try to dig it all out again."

"Luckily he won’t have to."

Buzz and Booster spun around. Their hands moved instantly to their wrist lasers.

Warp stared back at them with his robot arm raised, the claw transformed into a blaster. His trademark smirk was even more infuriating than usual. "Right after I’m done killing you, I’ll load all this junk onto my ship and bring it back to Zurg. Who’s gonna get a raise this week, huh? Bet he’ll even give me my own parking space if I return with your head on a silver platter, Buzz. Figuratively speaking, of course—I don’t have any platters handy and I never did like the icky stuff. But I’m sure your lifeless corpses will do."

Buzz kept his fingers locked just above the trigger of his laser. "I always told you to pay attention during math class at the Academy, Warp. There’s only one of you against two of us. Think you’re quick enough to take us both out before we can get a shot at you?"

"Ooh, a stalemate." Warp grinned. "Nice, I thought just executing you might be too easy. Guess it’s time to prove which one of us really is better. And Lightyear, I may have napped during math, but I _always_ paid attention during weapons training. Got high marks for aim and reaction time. Top of the class, remember?"

"Only because you cheated."

The man’s grin widened. "Cheating’s still winning if it works. And winning’s all that counts." His hand shifted, pointing straight at Buzz’s head. "Time to lose, partner."


	44. Chapter 43

Buzz stared at his ex-partner. "Warp, look, you don’t have to do this..." His mind was racing, calculating probabilities.

"Oh, spare me the whole, ‘there’s still time to change your evil ways’ good guy speech, Lightyear. You know that’s never gonna work." Warp groaned. "I’ve heard it enough times I could recite it myself. So why don’t we save each other the trouble and get this over with nice and quick, huh?"

Booster glared at him. "You won’t get away with this, Warp Darkmatter!"

"Heard that speech before too, you know." Rolling his eyes, Warp took a step closer. "So, how fast do you boys think you are? ‘Cause it won’t be fast enough. I can take you both out before you can even blink."

"Big talk," said Buzz. He made his decision. It was an acceptable risk factor compared to the alternative. "But that’s all it is." He yanked his arm up at the ceiling and fired.

The roof collapsed in a loud rumble of falling plaster and stone, bringing with it the heavy mounds of sand that had accumulated above. Everything dissolved into to chaos as Booster cried out in panic, Warp cursed and fired wildly about the tunnel, and the rubble continued to pour in from above. It was landing directly between the two parties, separating them nicely. All the dust rising up made it difficult to see anything except the exposed blue sky above.

Buzz grinned. Everything had gone exactly to plan. "Fly, Booster!" He punched his jetpack controls and launched into the air, Booster following quickly behind. They rose out of the tunnel and into open air. After the darkness they’d grown accustomed to, the sand seemed dazzlingly bright.

"To the ship!" said Buzz. 42 still stood in the distance, untouched by Warp’s attacks.

"What about Warp?" Booster asked.

"It’ll take more than a bit of falling rock to stop him. He’ll be out in a minute and hot on our tail, so let’s get to the cruiser before that happens!"

* * *

Warp spluttered, his eyes and nose streaming from all the dust. "Aw, craters!" He slammed his metal fist against the wall. "Fragging craters! Not again!" Oh, he was _so_ going to get Buzz for this one. _Should’ve just shot ‘em while they had their backs turned. But no, I had to do some last minute gloating first. That’s the stupidest amateur mistake in the book!_ Zurg was going to kill him...

There was still time to redeem himself, though. Rubbing his eyes, he popped the wings out his jetpack and blasted off. Outside the tunnel, the dust was mercifully absent which meant he could breathe again, and he spotted Buzz and Booster in the distance, clearly heading for 42.

_Should’ve trashed the cruiser before I went down to the surface. Ugh, what’s wrong with me? I’m not on form today at all!_

The two Rangers were out of firing range so he’d have to catch up to them before he could attack. His jetpack was more powerful than theirs, since Zurg didn’t have to comply with all that safety code nonsense, but he wasn’t sure he’d make up the distance before they reached the cruiser.

Warp slapped his forehead. _Duh, I don’t need to get to them! I’ve just gotta get to my ship!_ He swung upwards and rocketed towards the red vessel waiting above. _Then I can blow ‘em out of the sky!_

It only took a few seconds to reach his ship, and he quickly clambered in. "Let’s see now, targeting scanners..." He locked onto the pair of Rangers. His ship’s weapons would easily be able to cover the distance. He set the beam to maximum. _That should wipe every trace of Lightyear’s smug face out of existence. About time too._

First he checked to make sure his flight recorder was working. He wanted proof to bring back to Zurg to show he had actually succeeded in killing their foe. No doubt the emperor would want to add it to his video library. Once he’d assured himself it was functioning, he hovered his finger over the firing controls. "So long, buddy."

There was a massive crack which seemed to split the air like a peal of thunder. Warp instinctively put his hands to his ears, still feeling the reverberations in his skull. The ship shook slightly. "What in the cosmos..?"

Sand was spraying through the air at high velocity. He glanced back to see what had happened. His brow shot up. All the buildings on one side of the city lay in ruins, cracked and broken and charred. And not all of it was his handiwork from the earlier attack. He could see a smoking crater at the centre of the damage, the remains of an old wall lying all around it. _Craters._ The wall had been holding back a huge drift of sand, and now the sand was succumbing to the forces of gravity. Like an avalanche it tumbled and rolled across the landscape, pouring down upon the city and smothering it. Dust billowed up in such waves that Warp soon couldn’t see anything at all. He was pretty sure there wouldn’t be anything left to see by the time it had cleared.

"Lightyear!" He clenched his fist. _Lightyear... Ugh, Lightyear!_ He swung around to the forward window again. The view was hazy with dust but he could just make out the cruiser. It looked like it had tilted a bit after the blast, but it was still standing. And there were no Rangers in sight. _No, no, no!_

42's engines fired up. The ship was leaving.

_No!_ Warp slammed his fist against the dashboard. _Ugh, come on! Don’t I at least get one break?_

He supposed he could go after Buzz. Heck, with the damage the cruiser must’ve sustained during the last fight, he might even win. Warp glanced at the controls. He could probably even get off a shot now. Go for the weak underbelly, that was his motto. 42's engines were right in his line of fire. One good shot and he could send the ship plummeting back down into the sand. After that, finishing off any survivors would be like taking candy from a Phlegmian.

Warp put his hand on the controls, aiming the targeting scanners. Perfect lock. He still had his chance.

_Come on, fire. You won’t gonna get another shot!_ His thumb hesitated above the button. _Do it! Come on!_

He watched the cruiser grow smaller and smaller. _Oh, to hell with it! The shot would probably miss anyway. You always did have the most annoying luck, Buzz._ He sighed. _I wish I could’ve hated you for that like Ty and Rocket did._ _I wish I could hate you now._

He dropped his hand away from the controls. 42 was just a speck now. The targeting scanners had lost it, and he didn’t bother trying to get a lock again. What was the point?

He’d failed Zurg on every count and he was surprised to realise how little he cared. Zurg’s plans of universal conquest meant nothing to him. The thought of killing Buzz somehow didn’t have the same appeal it always used to have. And facing Zurg’s wrath exhausted him now more than it frightened him.

It was all just such a waste of time. His whole fragging life had been wasted on this kind of thing. Warp lay back, resting his head against the chair and wondering what he would say to his employer. Maybe he’d just tell it to him straight. _"Hey, Z, I tried to get your stupid device for you, but Lightyear showed up and handed my ass to me like he always does, and now the whole city’s covered under a mountain of sand. Oh, and I had, like, five chances to kill Buzz but he’s still breathing. So sorry."_ He was going to be in deep Delterrian mungu either way, so why bother with all the lies and excuses?

He started plotting a course back to Capital Planet.

* * *

"I don’t understand," Buzz repeated for the third time, rapping his knuckles on the console. "I didn’t arm that bomb. How could it just go off like that?"

"Who cares," Booster shrugged. "At least we made it out of there and stopped Warp from getting anything from the city! That’s the important thing, isn’t it? Maybe Warp armed it or something."

"Why would he do that?"

"I don’t know. Come on, Buzz, aren’t you happy? We won this time!"

Buzz nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess we did." _The first time in far too long. Maybe the tide is finally starting to turn._ "I’m probably just being paranoid." Perhaps the visions of the future he’d seen had spooked him more than he was willing to admit.

They made it off Planet X without incident, which surprised and worried Buzz. He’d expected at least some resistance from Warp. For awhile he was worried his former partner was hoping to follow them back to their hideout, but he tracked Warp heading back in the direction of Capital Planet. All the same, he took a long, circuitous route to Karn, dodging in and out of nebulas and through a few asteroid belts. That would hopefully throw off even the most determined pursuers, should there happen to be any on their tail. At last they reached the wild green planet they’d begun calling home, and were soon landed in their usual spot at the campsite.

Ozma rushed out to meet them, and some of the other Rangers followed. No doubt they’d want a full debriefing. Buzz rubbed his temples and sighed. All he wanted was a long nap.

When he jumped out the cruiser, Ozma appeared instantly at his side. "You okay, Buzz?" she asked, looking him over, then taking a step back as if trying to regain her detachment.

"Right as rain."

She frowned. "You don’t look it."

Buzz had to admit she was right. His suit was dirty and scuffed up and he could feel the sting of several cuts on his head. "Nothing a few days’ rest won’t mend," he shrugged. "Had a little trouble with Warp Darkmatter."

"Come inside," said Ozma, leading him back to the bio-station. "I’ve got a medkit. You can tell me about it while I patch you up."

After a few vain struggles, Buzz allowed himself to be pulled along. He supposed Booster could stay and fill the other Rangers in. They entered the compound and Ozma sat him down at her desk and went to get a kit from the shelf.

"So did you do what you wanted to do?" she asked, opening the kit and taking out some disinfectant.

"You bet. Zurg’ll have a tough time getting his hands on that tech now."

"You didn’t destroy the city, did you?"

"No, just buried it. Might’ve knocked out a few buildings, but most of it should still be intact." He was surprised. He wouldn’t have pegged Ozma for an archaeology enthusiast.

She seemed to read his thoughts. "I’ve never liked pointless destruction of any kind," she told him. "It doesn’t matter if it’s tearing down a forest for the lumber or demolishing an ancient village to build a shopping mall. It’s always the same attitude behind those actions. People like to destroy stuff when it’s in their way, and I hate it. If we just spent more time trying to preserve beauty instead of only looking out for our own interests, maybe people like me wouldn’t have to pick up so many pieces."

"No arguments there." He found himself admiring her more and more.

Ozma dabbed the cuts on his head with a cloth. The disinfectant stung, but she was surprisingly gentle. "Hold still," she said. "Just a few more."

"You get a lot of patients, Dr. Furbanna?" Buzz grinned.

"You’d be surprised. Most of them don’t talk back, though."

"Bet they don’t pay the bill either."

She smiled. "They do, in their own way. Seeing them happy and healthy again is enough for me." Unravelling a reel of dressing, she carefully stuck some of it over the worst nicks. "There, should be all better now."

Buzz stood up, putting a hand on her shoulder. "And what do I owe you, Doc?"

"Help me catch and tag some thrashosaurs next spring and we’ll call it even." She grinned, and Buzz was reminded of just how beautiful she was when her face lit up like that. "Now get out there and talk to your Rangers, Buzz. I’m sure they want to hear all about your adventure."

"They can wait." He kept his eyes fixed on her face. "Ozma, I... I’m glad you’re here with us. It makes this whole thing a little more bearable."

"Sentiment appreciated, Lightyear, but don’t you think now isn’t quite the time to be getting romantic? Saving the galaxy seems like a higher priority to me."

He rolled his eyes. _You were the one who dragged me in here to look after me._ "This isn’t about romance, Doc. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you."

"Well... thanks, Buzz." She smiled again.

Buzz almost moved to the door, then stopped himself. "You see," he began, the words suddenly spilling out, "something... something happened back there. And I can’t get it out of my mind."

She frowned. "What kind of something are we talking about here?"

"I wish I knew, Ozma." Sitting back down, Buzz suddenly realised how much he needed to tell someone what he’d seen. "There was this device... and, well, I think I saw the future in it. _A_ future, anyway. And it wasn’t a good one."

She sat down next to him. "Go on."

Rubbing his neck, Buzz continued, "First I saw Capital Planet in ruins. Then I saw every member of my team get killed—first Mira, then XR, then Booster." He winced. "I can’t tell you how that felt. It was Zurg’s doing, Ozma. That’s what I saw at the end. I think... I think if I don’t stop him, this is what’s gonna happen."

Ozma was quiet for a moment. "You’re sure? How do you know any of this was real?"

"Call it a hunch. Either way, I won’t let Zurg hurt my team." Buzz clenched his hand into a fist. Losing Warp to Zurg had been bad enough. The three rookies he was proud to call his friends meant the whole universe to him, and he’d already almost lost Mira and XR to Zurg. Enough was enough. "This can’t go on," he said. "One way or another, Zurg’s days are numbered. I’m gonna take him down."

* * *

Loud music blasted through the cockpit as Warp headed back to Capital Planet. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed. Autopilot could handle the flying for him. The woman singing had a high, giggly voice. He couldn’t even remember the name of the song—he was pretty sure he’d only bought it because he liked the cover art. Still, not a bad way to fill the silence.

_Guess this is my funeral dirge,_ he thought dryly. _Not long now before I reach Capital Planet and have to tell Zurg what happened._ He’d gone over the whole thing in his mind several times, preparing exactly what he was going to say to the emperor. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

_Ha. Yeah right._

Warp ran a metal hand through his hair. The tips of his fingers were cold as they brushed across his scalp. It was weird how after all this time, he could still never quite get used to the feel of his own hand. The cybernetic arm was now as much a part of him as the original had been, and he barely even thought about it—it was just there, and pretty darn useful too. But the one thing it lacked was the sensation of touch, and it was so cold and sharp—so mechanical. When it met his bare skin, it didn’t feel like him. Not that he regretted the upgrade, of course. It had been done on Zurg’s orders, after his real arm had been injured in the explosion that "killed" him. The Brain Pods could’ve treated the damage easily enough, but Zurg had other ideas. _He always does,_ Warp thought with a snort. He’d taken a bit of convincing, but he’d eventually agreed to let Zurg replace the arm with a much cooler cybernetic one. Free of charge, the emperor had added as if that were some huge bonus. So off went the old one and on went the new one. It was weird at first, but he got used to it.

Just how much had he had to get used to for Zurg? How much had the man twisted and shaped his life? Warp suddenly felt an overflowing bitterness that he hadn’t even known had been welling up inside him all this time. Almost thirty of years of his life had belonged to Zurg. He’d started out as a carefree youth looking for a bit of adventure, then gone on to become an amateur tech thief because that’s where the money was, and then finally Zurg had claimed him as his own, and he’d never known true freedom since. He’d been forced into the Academy. Zurg wanted a man on the inside, so despite his protests that he’d never be Ranger material, Warp had signed up. He’d been forced to pretend to devote himself to the cause of law and order.

_Then I made the mistake of telling Zurg about that bright new hotshot, Cadet Lightyear._ So Zurg had ordered Warp to keep an eye on him. The easiest way was to hack the Academy system and get himself assigned to Buzz as a roommate. Then all he had to do was pretend to be Buzz’s friend.

_I wish it hadn’t come so fraggin’ naturally._ There was no point in denying it. He’d grown to like Buzz. Somehow the two of them just clicked together like they’d known each other all their lives. Buzz’s overly earnest nature and his unfailing ability to be the best at absolutely everything hadn’t won him a lot of friends, but Warp could handle it. Maybe because he’d hadn’t joined Star Command to become the galaxy’s greatest Ranger. He had his own agenda, so if Buzz was earning all the praise, who cared? Not that Warp slacked off half as much as he pretended to, though. Buzz always took the top spot, but Warp was never far behind. He’d graduated with the second highest marks in his class, and not all of it had been down to cheating. _I was good when I had to be, wasn’t I?_

He’d even kind of enjoyed it. He couldn’t have played the part for twenty years if he hadn’t been a little into it. But he’d never forgotten that it would end eventually, and sure enough, that day came. _Just when I was finally really comfortable and settled in my life, Zurg decides it’s time for me to cut ties with Star Command. Go figure._ So once again, he’d turned his life upside down for Zurg. That was the pattern, wasn’t it? Everything he did was always for Zurg, never for himself.

_Just once I’d like to make my own choice. I’d like to change my life for me instead of him. I’m tired of just being Evil Emperor Zurg’s errand boy. ‘Cause if that’s all there is for me, the universe sucks._

The song had finished. Warp opened his eyes. He groaned when he saw Capital Planet coming into view. _Time’s up, Warpster. Gotta go face the emperor._

Even his sluggish operation of the ship’s controls couldn’t postpone the moment forever, and in no time at all he’d landed on Capital Planet and was making his way through the Senate building to Zurg’s offices.

He swung the door open with trepidation, praying to whatever cosmic forces bound the universe together that Zurg was in a good mood.

Zurg shot up from his chair the moment he entered. "You’re back early! Does this mean you found it? Answer me, Darkmatter!"

_Here goes._ "Not exactly, Evil Emperor."

Zurg’s eyes narrowed. "Not _exactly_? What does that mean? What _exactly_ did happen?"

_Oh boy._ Warp swallowed. "Lightyear."

That certainly got the emperor’s attention. "Lightyear was there? Which one? Did he get away? We must launch our forces immediately to pursue him!"

"I’d hold my horses if I were you, Z. He’ll be long gone by now and if I know Buzz, he won’t have left so much as a stray ion particle for you to follow." Sighing, Warp straddled the seat opposite Zurg’s and recounted what had happened. The emperor’s face kept contorting into unreadable but probably ominous expressions.

"So you’re saying you let both the technology of Natron’s lost empire _and_ Buzz Lightyear SLIP THROUGH YOUR FINGERS?"Zurg blurted out when he was finished. "Darkmatter, this time you really have outdone yourself!"

"Hey, I gave it my best shot, alright!" retorted Warp, slapping his hand on the desk. "What more do you want from me, huh? Next time, you do it yourself!"

Zurg’s eyes lit up. "Now’s no time to get mouthy with me, Darkmatter. You’re on thin ice already! If I didn’t need you, I might have you executed for your incompetence!"

"Yeah? Well at least it would save me the trouble of getting killed while I’m out on one of your stupid assignments!" _Shut up,_ his inner voice warned him, _you can’t say things like that to Zurg. Don’t make this worse than it already is!_

For a moment, Zurg didn’t reply, as if the shock of Warp’s disrespectful attitude had taken the words from him. "Get out right now," he growled slowly, "if you want me to spare your worthless hide!"

_Last chance to smooth things over, Warp. Just do what he says!_ He glanced at the door. _Aw, hell, when did I ever listen to myself anyway?_ "No, I’m not just gonna run off and pretend everything’s fine, Zurg." _Oh boy, I’m dead. I’m so dead._ "I’ve been doing that all my life! Things _aren’t_ fine. Look what’s happened to me—I’ve been stabbed, had the lifeforce drained outta me, gotten beat up by Lightyear more times than I can count, lost one of my _arms_ —enough is enough! I’m tired of this, Zurg."

Zurg snorted. "You’ve been well rewarded for your work! Far too well, it would seem—you’ve become spoiled! You think just because you’re my top agent, you deserve special treatment, eh? Well, let me tell you, Warp Darkmatter, you are just another slave to my empire, no different from every cowering Grub and grovelling Brain Pod! You are _nothing_ compared to me, and don’t you ever forget it!"

It took all of Warp’s willpower not slam his fist into his boss’s face. "Hey, I’ve been a lot of things, and I know I’m your lackey, but I have _never_ been your slave! You can treat me like one all you want, but I still have a choice here!"

"What choice, Darkmatter?" the other man sneered. "What are you without me? I control the galaxy now—you know the best place for you is at my side!"

"Oh, is that so, huh? Am I _really_ better off with you, Zurg? ‘Cause I’m not so fucking sure anymore!"

"Watch your language!"

Warp ground his teeth together. He knew he was just digging himself into an even deeper hole, but it was too late to turn back. "You seem so sure I can’t manage without you, but you know what the truth is? You need _me_ a heck of a lot more than I ever needed _you_! Don’t get me wrong, the money, the infamy, it was all great—but was it worth it? Who knows, maybe I could’ve gotten all that on my own!"

"What, by stealing a few piddling corporate secrets? Hijacking the occasional weapons shipment? Please! Everything you are is what I made you!"

"And that’s the whole fragging problem right there!" Warp grabbed Zurg by shoulders. "I don’t wanna belong to you anymore! I don’t wanna be part of your games! I just want my own life again!"

He suddenly realised what he was doing and released his grip. The emperor was tenser than a steel cable stretched to breaking point. Warp could see the fire in his eyes and the twitching of his fingers, as if he were debating whether or not to whip out his ion cannon and vaporise Warp right there.

"If you _ever_ touch me again," said Zurg, in a tone so low it was barely audible, "I shall slit you open and take you apart piece by piece. Is that clear, Warp?"

For once, Warp didn’t blink under that penetrating glare. "Like I’m gonna give you the chance. So long, Emperor Z." He gave him the sloppiest of salutes and marched out, ignoring all the Grubs and Hornets he passed as he retraced his steps to Imperial Plaza landing pad. He said nothing to anyone, simply shooing away the Brain Pods that were doing a routine check on his ship and climbing in. He strapped on his seatbelt and looked around. The city was dark and unwelcoming, not at all how he remembered from the old days. _There’s nothing left for me here._ He looked up. It was a clear night; the ash from the attack had finally cleared and the stars were glistening like gems. _No limits for me out there. Nothing but open sky and freedom._

He fired up the engines.


	45. Chapter 44

Zurg stomped around his office. He wished he wasn’t so fond of the new drapes—he needed something to vent his anger on. Eventually he settled for gouging a splintery trail through his desk with his claws.

It wasn’t fair! Fate had dealt him some cruel blows in the past, but this was downright sadistic. He’d had everything figured out—all he needed was the device to open the trans-spacial corridor, Lightyear dead so he wouldn’t threaten his plans, and then everything would be perfect! And both of them had almost been delivered right into his hands—it could’ve been so _delicious_! But no, it was not to be. That fool Darkmatter had lost them both and now Zurg was right back to square one.

_I suppose Lightyear’s the one who’s truly at fault,_ he thought miserably. _Why does he always show up to ruin everything?_

He frowned. How _had_ Buzz known to be there, anyway? It couldn’t possibly be coincidence, could it? No, even his luck wasn’t that bad—there was something else going on. _Someone found out about my plans. Someone told him._ Well, if there was a traitor in his empire’s midst, he’d soon find them and make them suffer. Someone had to pay for this and he was eager to take out his frustrations on the first suitable candidate he could find.

"Grubs!" he called.

One-Two rushed in. "I am here for you to command, O Vile One!"

He eyed the little creature warily. So far it had been one of the most loyal subjects he’d ever had... but what if was all an act? Was the Grub perhaps _too_ loyal? Could he trust anyone?

Zurg settled in his chair and began rapping his fingers on the desk. "Somehow information was leaked to Buzz Lightyear," he said slowly. "He was at Planet X, waiting for Warp."

The Grub blinked. Its surprised looked genuine, and Zurg certainly didn’t believe Grubs possessed exceptional acting talent, but he couldn’t be sure. "Oh no!" gasped the little creature. "That’s not good!"

"No, it isn’t," Zurg sniffed.

"What do we do?"

He leaned forward. "I want whoever informed Buzz found. I don’t care how you do it, I don’t care what it takes! I want their name before the night is over!"

* * *

XR knew moping through the streets of Capital Planet wouldn’t do any good and it certainly wouldn’t make him any less depressed, but he couldn’t go back to the apartment. Mira and XL would both be there, and they were the last people he wanted to see. _Gee, golly, good work, XR. You’ve alienated the last two friends you had left on the whole planet._

Sighing, he wandered down another lane, glancing at the buildings he passed. Maybe he’d find an establishment that served robots soon—he could use a drink. He’d been out since the previous night, and now evening was fast falling on the city. _I could use a nice recharge too, come to think of it._

It was no good. Sooner or later he’d have to go back and face them. _Maybe I should apologise. I mean, it’s not like they were being stupid on purpose, right? They just wanted to help._ It was one of the things he admired most about Mira—her determination to do the right thing, no matter the cost to herself. He wished he was as strong and brave as her. And who would’ve guessed XL would put his own life on the line like that to do good—the tables really had turned! He was proud of his brother.

Making up his mind, XR headed for the city centre. It wasn’t far away. In all his wanderings that day, he’d never strayed far from the Plaza, because he had an inkling of the sights that would’ve awaited him downtown. He’d seen the devastation from above when he’d arrived on Capital Planet and it wasn’t pretty.

Soon he was marching up the steps of the Senate. The Hornets stopped him at the door and he had to show his security pass, which he hoped was still valid—Mira wouldn’t be petty enough to cancel it, would she?—and they let him in. With any luck, she’d still be in the building, and maybe XL too.

Sure enough, when he reached her office, he could hear two voices within. Apparently Mira was working late again. He nudged the door open carefully and peeked inside. "Uh... hi."

Mira and XL were going over the stacks of papers. They’d made a dent in their numbers, but there was still a small forest’s worth of pages scattered throughout the room. They both looked up when XR spoke.

"Well, look who’s back," said Mira. Her eyebrows drew low, clouding her face. "Do you know how worried I’ve been? You didn’t come home last night and I kept trying to call you but you wouldn’t respond!"

XR shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry... turned off my comm..."

The woman stared at him for a long, agonising moment, then sighed. "Alright, come in, XR. What do you want?"

Letting the door swing closed behind him, XR approached the pair hesitantly. "Look, Mira, XL, I—"

The door had barely clicked into place when it was shoved open again with such force that all the papers in the room fluttered up like a flock of white birds. "SO!" a dual-toned voice boomed. "What’s going on here, hmm?"

The motors in XR’s chest whirred faster. He backed against Mira’s desk and faced the new arrival. Zurg was standing in the doorway, several Hornets behind him and one of his Grubs at his feet. The shadow of the doorframe had fallen over his face but his eyes stood out like glowing coals.

"Evil Emperor Zurg," greeted Mira smoothly. "Any reason you’re interrupting my work? I do have a job to do—the job _you_ gave me, you know."

"And is that all you’ve been doing, my dear Governor Nova?" He swept in, bearing down on her like a hunter coming in for the kill. "Have you been nothing but a good, loyal subject, eh? Or have you been moonlighting for Buzz Lightyear while my back was turned?"

_Craters! He’s on to us!_ XR tried to not to panic.

Mira shrugged. "I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ve got documents to sign. You’re welcome to lend a hand if you like."

Her voice was too easy, too relaxed. Even her stammer was gone. XR knew she must be truly terrified.

"You claim ignorance, hmm?" Zurg had now reached her desk. He spread his hands across its surface, crumpling the papers beneath, and leaned forward. "So you had nothing to do with the message that was sent to Lightyear, warning him of my plans?"

She put down her pen. "What message? Look, I haven’t talked to Buzz since the day of the battle! I don’t even know where he is! I wish I did—I wish I knew he was okay—but I don’t!"

"Oh, I believe you," said Zurg. "I’m sure you haven’t the faintest idea where he is. He’s fine, by the way—thwarting my schemes as ever, you should be very proud. He’s fine for _now_ , that is. He won’t be when I get hold of him, but that’s another matter." He leaned closer. "What I’m trying to get at, Governor Nova, is that someone sent out a message on one of Star Command’s secure channels. Someone leaked information to Lightyear. I had my Grubs do some digging, and they were able to find a call log tracing that message back to this building. Alas, we don’t know precisely who made the call, but I think I can make a reasonable guess."

"What, you think I did it?" Mira folded her arms. "How would I even know about whatever this stupid plot was that I apparently leaked to Buzz? It’s not like you confide in me, I mean come on!"

He shrugged. "I don’t know how you found out, but frankly, that’s not the issue here. My sole concern is ensuring it never happens again."

"Then quit bugging me and go find whoever did it."

"Stop playing games with me, Nova! I know it was you! Who else would it be?" He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out from behind the desk. "Hornets, take her away! I shall enjoy questioning you, Princess." He sneered. "I’ve always wondered what it would take to make you crack."

XR felt cold as he watched Mira being escorted away by the yellow robots. He didn’t know what to do. _I’m letting her down! I said I would protect her!_

"No!" It was XL who shouted. "Stop what you’re doing, Evil Emperor Lamebrain! You’re making a mistake!"

Zurg glared down at him. "Oh, charming, it’s the formerly-infamous renegade robot, XL. You have let yourself go, haven’t you? What happened to the maniacal mechanical menace I re-activated? Look at you now—a photocopier! Still, once a failure, always a failure, I suppose."

"Yeah? A failure, huh? Guess who it was who sent that message!" XL folded his arms. "Yep, that’s right, it was me!"

_Bro, no!_ XR stared at him helplessly.

Holding up a hand to stop the Hornets from carting Mira away, Zurg bent over XL. "Are you saying _you_ somehow discovered my plans, knew the right Star Command codes, and contacted Lightyear? All by yourself? Do you seriously expect me to believe that?"

"‘Course it was me! You think I need help?" XL feigned indignation. "I’m sick of everyone underestimating me! Yeah, I overheard you and Warp Darkmatter talking, so I decided to call Buzz! I’m a genius with technology, ‘case you hadn’t noticed, so it was no sweat for me to hack into their top secret channel—we’re not talking Moon Knox here, this is lousy Star Command security—and then I told Buzz everything and sent him to stop you. Piece of cake!"

"Hmm." Zurg tapped his mouth. "And Nova had nothing to do with it, I suppose?"

"Why would I bother telling some dumb rookie Ranger what I was up to?" shrugged XL. "I didn’t need her help!"

"XL, no!" Mira hissed. "He’s lying, Zurg! He had nothing to do with this! It was all me!"

_Oh, Mira, please, just keep quiet! You’re_ both _going to end up in hot water if I don’t think of something!_ XR desperately racked his circuits for a plan.

"Don’t listen to her!" said XL. "She’s just trying to protect me! Leave her alone!"

Zurg looked from XL to Mira. "I’m inclined to believe you were _both_ involved," he said. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t have the two of you executed this very night."

XR pushed forward. "Because you need Mira to run things here! And because my brother’s telling the truth—Mira had nothing to do with it! I was with her all day yesterday and she never sent any messages! It must’ve been XL!"

Raising a brow, Zurg looked amused. "You’re implicating your own brother, are you? How’s that for family loyalty, eh?"

_XL, I’m sorry!_ "I’m just trying to save Mira! There’s no point in taking both of them—Mira’s innocent!"

"So I should leave her and simply kill XL? Is that what you’re saying?" Zurg chuckled. "An interesting proposition."

"N-no, no! Don’t kill him! Just... lock him up, yeah! But don’t hurt him!"

"And why shouldn’t I kill him? I can’t tolerate traitors—you let one live and soon you find yourself with a whole staff full of secret members of the Buzz Lightyear Fan Club!"

"He might be useful to you later!"

XL nodded. "Genius, remember? I’m smarter than all your Brain Pods put together—I can help you out with your evil plans! Why do you think NOS-4-A2 came to me? You ever need any fancy weapons or stuff like that built, just let me know!"

"Guys," Mira begged, "stop this! You know I was the one who did it, not XL!"

"Aw, shut up, Ranger!" spat XL. "Quit trying to protect me. I don’t need it!"

Zurg’s eyes were glimmering with humour as he observed their arguing. "I might just lock up all three of you and charge admission to watch you bicker," he said. "Unfortunately, while that might be good for business, I can’t let the person who betrayed me go unpunished. So I’m going to ask one last time: who did it?"

XR looked intently into Mira’s eyes, hoping desperately she would keep her mouth shut. Her lips were quivering but she hung her head in defeat and said nothing.

"It was me! Okay, we got that settled?" XL tsked and shook his head. "Gee, what’s a bot gotta do to get some credit around here?"

"Very well," said Zurg. "I’ll accept your word on the matter. I’m not convinced Nova wasn’t involved, but your brother makes a good point—I do need her here, so it’s far better to use a worthless robot like you as the whipping boy." He turned to XR. "How does it feel knowing your testimony helped get your own brother executed?"

_No, no! Oh, craters!_ "I told you not to hurt him!" he pleaded. "Killing him’s a waste!"

"And what am I supposed to do with him if I keep him alive?" Zurg waved a hand. "I tried employing him once and look how _that_ turned out—he botched the whole job! Couldn’t even kill Commander Nebula! Luckily _he’s_ not a problem anymore, though."

XR gulped.

"Sorry, bad memories? How insensitive of me." Shrugging, Zurg glanced back at XL. "No, I think execution’s about all he’s good for. I have quite enough fax machines already and who uses photocopiers anymore?"

"Isn’t there anything you need built?" wheedled XL. "Some kind of mega bomb or death ray or something? Come on, man! You gotta have something I can do! Your Brain Pods aren’t perfect, y’know. I bet I could do lots of stuff they wouldn’t even dream of!"

Something in Zurg’s expression altered. "Perhaps..." he said softly.

"Yeah?"

"It’s just a thought," he replied. "We’ll discuss it later. You might still have a use after all. In the meantime, however..." The malevolent grin returned. "Hornets, take him to a cell!"

The Hornets released Mira and grabbed XL by his skinny arms. He didn’t struggle as they led him away.

XR watched, wishing there was more he could do. At least no one was going to die. _Not yet,_ pessimism whispered in his head.

His smile dropping, Zurg pointed a finger at Mira. "And you would do well to remember, Mira Nova, that my mercy is the only thing keeping you alive. If I have the slightest reason to suspect you’re working against me behind my back, I won’t hesitate to have you shot. Do keep that in mind."

She nodded mutely.

"Good. I won’t keep you from your work any longer." He turned and left, taking his entourage with him.

Mira slumped against her desk. XR hurried over to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I guess..." She suddenly shoved him away. "Holy nova, XR, what did you do? I could’ve convinced Zurg I was the one responsible! I could’ve kept you and XL from getting dragged into this! Why did you have to step in like that?"

"What, I should’ve let you get executed?" He put his hands on his sides. "Mira, I said I’d keep you safe and I have!"

"At XL’s expense?" she snapped. "I already told you I don’t need protecting!"

"XL will be fine! How many times has he busted out of prison, right?" XR laughed nervously. "And c’mon, we robots are hard to kill. I should know, I’ve been blown up often enough. Better us in the line of fire than you!"

She sighed. "Look, I don’t want to argue about this. Not tonight. But don’t ever do anything like that again. I’m the senior Ranger and I make the decisions around here, okay?"

"Sure, whatever." He folded his arms. _I’m just doing my best._

Mira took a deep breath. "I guess the one good thing that came out of all this is that we know Buzz is okay. He’s out there somewhere, so maybe there’s still hope." A flicker of a smile crossed her face. "Maybe he can save us."

_That’s what_ I’m _trying to do._ XR shrugged. _I may not be Buzz and have all the answers but I’m doing everything I can to keep us all alive. Why isn’t that enough for you?_

* * *

No longer needed by Zurg, One-Two had hurried back to the Ambassador Hotel and headed straight for the kitchens, hoping he wasn’t too late to deliver a tray of supper to the former president. He knew Zurg didn’t approve of how much time he spent with her, and the guilt did sometimes gnaw at his insides, but she continued to fascinate him and he kept coming back. He grabbed the platter from the chef and rushed to the elevator.

There was another Grub inside. He didn’t know its designation, but he could see it was one of the maintenance Grubs. Normally he would’ve just ignored it—maintenance workers were far below his station and not worth talking to unless he had to relay an order of Zurg’s to them—but he could see this one twitching anxiously. Its feelers quivered and it gave a start when it recognised him.

"What’s up?" asked One-Two. "Is something wrong? Emperor Zurg will want to know if there’s a problem."

The other Grub gulped. "Does he know about Agent Darkmatter yet?"

"He spoke to him an hour ago." One-Two shrugged. "The emperor wasn’t happy that Darkmatter failed, but why are _you_ worried about it?"

"So he hasn’t heard the latest news?"

"What news?"

The Grub’s antennae shook some more. "Agent Darkmatter... has gone. We were working on his ship when he suddenly showed up, sent us away, and took off without saying a word to us. He didn’t have any departure clearance or anything! He just left!"

The lift reached its destination and the doors opened. One-Two remained inside, frowning at the other Grub. "You think he’s run away? Permanently?"

The Grub nodded.

One-Two felt his own feelers twitching. If Warp really had skipped out on them, Zurg wasn’t going to take the news at all well. "I’ll inform the emperor when he arrives here at the hotel for dinner," he said. "He’ll want to know about this."

"Don’t tell him I told you, okay?" the other Grub whimpered. "He might get mad that we didn’t do anything to stop Darkmatter from leaving."

Promising to keep his silence, One-Two left the elevator and went to the president’s room. He knocked on the door and waited for the resigned muttering of assent from within before he opened the door.

The ex-president was sitting on the sofa, and she barely glanced his way as he entered. He was used to this. Sometimes her moods allowed her a small smile or greeting for him, but usually she was sullen and wordless.

"Dinnertime!" he announced as he set the tray before her. "Eat up!"

She nodded and picked up a fork. "Thank you," she said firmly. It was obvious she was trying to usher him out, but One-Two remained where he stood.

After giving her a few moments to eat, he said, "Warp Darkmatter had a run-in with Buzz Lightyear today."

The president stopped eating. "What?"

"Ranger Lightyear stopped Darkmatter from carrying out one of Zurg’s orders, and then he got away," continued One-Two. "We don’t know where he is now."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Just thought you might like to know." The Grub shrugged. "I thought it might make you happy."

"Knowing Buzz is still out there fighting for us? Of course." She laughed. "I hope he throws a wrench into every plan Zurg dreams up. But why do you care if I’m happy?"

"I dunno. ‘Cause I’m tired of you being miserable, I guess. I wanted you to smile and tell me a story like you used to sometimes when we were on the Dreadnought." One-Two looked at her expectantly.

"Alright, come here, child," she sighed.

One-Two bounced onto the sofa beside her.

"What story do you want to hear?" the president asked.

He thought carefully. "You’ve told me lots about the Galactic Alliance, but you’ve never told me much about yourself."

A shadow crossed her face. "I’m not important. Never have been. The Alliance was always what mattered."

"Come on! Tell me something!"

"Oh, fine." Putting down her fork, she leaned back and gazed distantly at the ceiling. "Once upon a time there was a woman. She was born in a time of great change, when the galaxy was just starting to open up after centuries of mistrust. She was loud and full of words, and she pushed her way wherever she wanted to go. Soon she got involved with the Trading Alliance that’d sprung up so folks could protect each other against space pirates and all the other nasty things out on the shipping routes, and she helped shape into something bigger. No one was pushing for a proper interplanetary federation more than her, and sure enough, she got it in the end, just like everything else she wanted."

One-Two listened intently. Sometimes he’d wondered how someone who looked so weak and broken could’ve once ruled an empire, especially when he contrasted her against Zurg, who radiated control with his every gesture. But occasionally when she spoke, he could pick up traces of the power she’d once carried herself with, and it intrigued him. If she could fall so far, did that mean Zurg could too? Was his emperor not quite as all-powerful as he believed?

The president had paused for a moment, apparently reminiscing. Then she continued. "She became one of the Galactic Alliance’s first senators, and she kept the others in line from day one, till eventually it was only natural that she run for president. So she did, and she won. It was the proudest moment of her life. She thought she’d finally reached the place she’d been heading for since the day she was born." A bitterness entered her voice. "She thought she’d finally be able to do some _real_ good. Secure the Alliance once and for all. The arrogant fool thought she’d bring it into a golden age." She looked out the window. "We all know how that turned out."

Fidgeting in his seat, One-Two felt conflicting emotions he couldn’t pin down. He wanted to say something, but he wasn’t sure what. At last he edged closer and touched her shoulder. "I’m, er, I’m sorry."

She smiled down on him sadly. "It’s not your fault."

"I know, but I wish..." He trailed off, realising what he’d been about to say. _Stop it!_ _You are a loyal Grub! You aren’t like those cowards who defect!_  But he couldn’t help wishing it anyway. He wished Zurg had never invaded the Galactic Alliance. He stood up quickly. "I’ve got to go. Evil Emperor Zurg will probably have arrived by now."

"Oh, yes, you’d better go then." She was looking at the ceiling again. She seemed to have already forgotten he was there.

He left without saying goodbye.

When he got to Zurg’s suite, he found the emperor inside watching the knitting channel. That was never a good sign—Zurg only started knitting when he was particularly annoyed. One-Two tiptoed in, wondering how he would break the news of Warp’s departure to him.

"Stop dilly-dallying and come in!" snorted Zurg without turning around. Somehow he always knew when someone else was in the room with him.

"Your Evilness," One-Two began, "did you have a good trip here?"

"The Senate is just down the street! That’s hardly worth calling a trip." Zurg studied him with a frown. "What are you hiding? What’s happened _now_? Spit it out!"

One-Two scuffed his foot on the carpet and looked away. "It’s, er, Agent Darkmatter, Emperor."

"Don’t speak that name to me!"

"B-but it’s important... you see," coughed the Grub, "Warp Darkmatter has left. We, uh, we think he’s gone for good."

"What?!" Zurg leaped up from the sofa. "That useless, fickle, ungrateful, incompetent...!"

"Do you want us to go after him?" One-Two asked quickly, hoping to halt a long tirade.

Zurg sank back down. "What’s the use? I’ve already got ships out looking for both the Buzz Lightyears. I can’t afford to divert any more of our fleet on another wild goose chase—I need them here to strengthen our position. Darkmatter may be an idiot, but he’s a wily one when he wants to be. It could take weeks to find him. No," the emperor sighed, "as much as I’d like to skin him alive for everything he’s done, I’m better off cutting my losses. He’ll either get himself killed in some bar brawl or he’ll realise his mistake and come crawling back to me. Well, I’ll certainly make him do a lot of begging and grovelling before I take him back!"

One-Two nodded, relieved. Zurg seemed to be taking it slightly better than he’d expected. "I’m glad you are not too disappointed, Evil Emperor."

"Disappointed? I’ve had so much disappointment already today! What’s one more thing? In fact, Darkmatter leaving is probably the only good thing to come out of this whole mess!" He shrugged. "I should’ve fired him years ago. It’s his fault the other Lightyear got away! I’m better off without him." He leaned back. "Still, there was one other bright spot in today’s endless parade of letdowns."

"Yes?" One-Two’s antennae rose curiously.

"I may not need Natron’s technology after all." Zurg folded his hands together. "A new possibility has emerged. If Natron could develop that device, what’s to stop someone else from following in his footsteps?"

"But it’s been thousands of years!" said One-Two. "You said that in all that time, no one has ever figured out how the trans-spacial warps worked."

"Ah, but you’re forgetting something," Zurg replied. "I have a self-proclaimed genius on my side now. No one had ever built a Wirewolf cannon before either, but he managed it. If anyone can get me what I want, it’s XL."


	46. Chapter 45

Cabin fever was definitely starting to set in. It had taken awhile, though—Nebula was a man used to spending entire weeks aboard Star Command, never leaving its metal walls unless absolutely necessary. He didn’t even have a home on Capital Planet anymore; the place he’d once bought had been gathering dust for years until finally he’d sold it. Star Command was his real home.

There was quite a difference between a vast space station and one small ship, however, and his patience was starting to wear thin. He longed for new surroundings—any break from the monotony of Xlgta’s shuttle. He was almost glad when she arrived that morning with breakfast and the psytronium orb.

"Here for another Zurg history lesson, eh?" He began wolfing down the food.

"If that is what you want to call it." Sitting down next to him, she waited as he ate.

"Dunno why you bother," he said. "You know it’s not gonna change my mind."

She shrugged. "A friend told me I needed  to have hope, so I shall continue to believe I can bring you around to the truth."

"Whatever." Finishing, Nebula put down the bowl and folded his arms. "Okay, you wanna show me more of Zurg’s sad, tragic life? Fine. But I wanna know more about you. Like how you ended up in our galaxy to begin with. There’s a lot you haven’t explained."

"Then I will tell you," she said. "But to answer that, I must first show you how _Zurg_ came to be here." A touch of the orb activated it, filling the room with yellow light. Xlgta pressed her hand against Nebula’s forehead.

He didn’t fight the invasion of his mind this time, and perceived an immediate improvement in the experience. Instead of drilling through his skull, the wave of sensations flowed into his mind gently, slowly replacing the world around him. He found himself standing with Xlgta in stark, spotless bridge, all done up in shades of grey and black. It seemed strangely familiar. A quick glance around and Nebula realised which _other_ ship’s interior it reminded him of.

Up above the centre of the bridge was a chair—not quite grand enough to be a throne, but certainly more extravagant than strictly necessary—on a crane. The seat contained a figure dressed in purple and red robes. Nebula recognised Zurg at once, though he noted the outfit lacked the emperor’s usual armour and cape. Scattered around the work stations were similarly-dressed members of Zurg’s species, their robes a dull grey. They looked almost like uniforms, but less militaristic. Just by observing how they held themselves, Nebula could see they were no soldiers.

"Zurg’s employees," Xlgta explained softly.

"You mean slaves?" Nebula snorted.

"No. Not this time. These are early days still, Commander."

The motor of the crane whined as Zurg brought it down low, just above the heads of his crew. "Are we there yet? Well, speak up! It feels like we’ve been travelling for days! Have you incompetents at the helm been going in circles again?"

The pilot turned to him. "We are entering the region now, Mr. Zurg."

_Mister... well that’s a new one._ Nebula found the title amusing. _Wonder if he prefers_ Evil _Mr. Zurg._

Zurg stood up. "At last... the forbidden Grey Space, the region where ships just disappear without a trace... one of the great mysteries of the universe, and the perfect place to test new innovations in our weapons department!" As usual, he seemed to be talking to himself more than the crew.

The pilot rolled her eyes. "Of course, Mr. Zurg, as long as no one finds out. You really should have gone through the proper channels..."

"Proper channels?" The red glow around Zurg’s eyes grew brighter. "Proper channels? Please! You haven’t been with my company long, have you, Xaril? Why waste precious time with red tape when you can just find a cosy little corner of the galaxy where no one’s likely to peek, eh?"

"Hardly cosy. There’s a reason Grey Space is off-limits."

Zurg waved a hand. "Oh, nonsense, a few missing ships are nothing to worry about! Perhaps there’s a den of space pirates lurking here or some equally tame explanation. And if there is, I’d like to see them try to mess with _us_!" He sat down again. "Cut the engines. Prepare to deploy the first plasma missile for testing."

"Yes, sir." The pilot sounded unconvinced, but she went back to work.

Nebula watched Zurg rub his hands together gleefully. He could feel the excitement bubbling up from him. It was an odd sensation. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to experiencing the memories of someone else’s emotions.

"Ready?" the emperor asked, and Xaril nodded. "Excellent. Target that little hunk of space rock to the left of us and fire!"

The vessel shuddered slightly, and through the viewport Nebula saw a small missile arcing across the black expanse. It made straight for the tiny asteroid, never deviating from its course. Zurg was leaning forward in anticipation. Any moment now the strike would occur...

And then the missile suddenly pulled away, as if being dragged by some unknown force. It seemed to stretch out like a string of gum, and in the blink of an eye it vanished into the void. Everyone stared at the empty spot where it had been.

"Grey Space..." Xaril whispered.

"Sensor readings! Now!" demanded Zurg. "I want to know what just happened!"

The man beside Xaril stared at his screen and shook his head. "There’s little I can tell you. It was caught in some kind of anomaly, but I do not understand any of these readings."

"Sometimes I wonder why I even pay you, Doctor!" Zurg threw up his hands. "Are you a scientist or aren’t you? I demand some kind of explanation!"

"Perhaps we could send a probe through..." the man suggested weakly. "We might learn more..."

"Then do it, Zel! Don’t just stand there wringing your hands like a helpless, dribbling child!"

Dr. Zel scurried off. Nebula watched him go, then turned to Xlgta. "What’s this about? What’s the significance of all this in the little narrative you’re spinning for me?"

"You will see, Commander."

_Cryptic as always, eh?_ Sighing, Nebula cast his eyes on Zurg again. The man was tapping an ungloved set of talons on the armrest of his lofty seat, making vague noises of annoyance. If anything, he seemed even more impatient and petulant than the Zurg Nebula knew.        

Zel soon returned to announce the probe was ready, and Zurg ordered it launched. A small, round object blasted away from the ship and followed the same trajectory the missile had taken. Everyone waited in silence.

Sure enough, when the probe reached the same point as the missile, it was violently jerked off-course and seemed to stretch out, until it disappeared in a small flash of light. The whole thing was over in seconds.

Zurg immediately turned to Zel. "Did you get any useful telemetry, hmm? Eh? Give me something to justify your salary, you lackwit!"

There was confusion written over the doctor’s face. It seemed to take him a moment to even realise Zurg was speaking to him. He suddenly snapped his head up from the screen and tugged nervously at his robes. "Er, well... yes. I cannot claim to understand it all, but we definitely got some readings..."

"And?" Zurg dug. "What kind of readings? Throw me something here, Doc!"

"See for yourself," said Zel, bringing the data up on the main screen. "The probe is still transmitting."

"What?" The emperor was on his feet again, eagerly scanning the data. "Well, isn’t this a chocolate chip in the cookie! _Look_ at these readings!"

Zel frowned. "It is detecting planets and star systems that do not exist—I’ve checked them against the galactic charts and there isn’t a single match."

"Maybe... maybe it’s some sort of portal into another dimension," suggested Xaril.

"Perhaps." Zurg tapped his mouth. "I have my own suspicions, however. This reminds me of an old story..." His eyes narrowed. "Check the telemetry against our intergalactic charts!"

"You do understand those charts are sketchy at best, don’t you? And what is the point—how could the probe possibly end up in another galaxy?" asked Zel. He winced under the heat of Zurg’s glare. "Alright, I will do it at once, Mr. Zurg!"

"I think I can see where this is going," Nebula whispered to Xlgta.

She smiled.

Something flashed up on the screen. "I don’t believe it," breathed Zel. "We have a match! One of the outer galaxies! Impossible!"

"Hardly impossible, Doctor." The effort was audible in Zurg’s voice as he tried to restrain his excitement. "Don’t you understand what this is? Any of you?" He rolled his eyes. "I suppose your mothers all told you boring nursery rhymes to get you to sleep! Didn’t you ever hear the stories of Natron?"

Xaril shrugged. "I know the name—I remember it from my history classes. He was an ancient ruler, wasn’t he?"

"An ancient—?! An ancient ruler?" Zurg sank back down, covering his face with the palm of his hand. "Educational standards have certainly plummeted—Nana Xurg is probably rolling in her grave! There was a time when everyone knew the legends of Natron!"

"Forgive me, Mr. Zurg," said Xaril, a hint of impatience in her voice, "but what does some long-dead alien ruler have to do with any of this?"

"How do you think he travelled between galaxies, hmm? Through a network of tunnels that warped space, you _dimwit_!" Zurg pointed triumphantly at the place where the missile and probe had vanished. "And we’ve just found one of the entrances!"

Zel gasped. "Then... you’re saying the probe really has appeared in another galaxy? Gods, that is incredible—this could be the discovery of the century!"

Zurg nodded. "Precisely. _My_ discovery." He clapped his hands together. "Oh, can’t we go through and have a little look-see? Come on, let’s do it! Take us through!"

"No. We absolutely can’t." Xaril folded her arms. "Not without authorisation from the council. These unapproved tests were bad enough—I’m not going to break every one of our border rules by going through that thing!"

"Oh...! Oh, fine!" Zurg sniffed. "We’ll go back and tell the council first. With luck, they’ll be just as eager to take a peek as we are. Return course, Xaril, full speed! There’s no time to waste!"

The scene faded. Nebula and Xlgta were standing again in the cell aboard Xlgta’s shuttle. Nebula sat down on the bunk. "So that’s it, eh? You and him both came through one of these trans-warp thingamajiggers?"

"Yes. There’s more to the story than that, however." She put away the psytronium orb. "But I don’t need Zurg’s memories to tell you what happened next. I was there."

"Oh?" Nebula suddenly slapped his forehead. "Of course, you said you were on the council..."

"Exactly. He came to us with what he’d discovered, presenting what he felt was a strong case for the need to investigate further. I..." Her brow furrowed. "Well, I disagreed with him."

"You thought it was too dangerous," surmised Nebula. "You were afraid he’d get hurt."

Xlgta chuckled. "Yes, I suppose so, but that was not my primary concern. I had learned to stay out Zurg’s life by then—he didn’t appreciate my looking over his shoulder, promise to his grandmother or no promise." With a sigh, she leaned back against the wall. "No, I objected on other grounds. Our people are very much isolationists, Commander—a few too many wars with our neighbours resulted in strict border policies. We keep to our own territories as much as we can. The civil war was the last straw—we’re tired of fighting, and the risk of starting trouble on an _intergalactic_ scale overshadowed anything positive we might learn from this new galaxy. So I vetoed the idea of going through the rift."

"Bet that made Zurg’s day."

"Oh, he was furious. First he got his mother to privately urge me to reconsider—she and I had known each other a long time, and he thought I might listen to her. I stood firm. Then he tried to bribe the other council members into outvoting me."

Nebula raised an eyebrow. "Same old Zurg. Corrupt from day one."

She shrugged. "He was hardly the first person to try to buy votes. The council may rule in name, but ever since the empire fell, money has been the new power in our society. Zurg always knew that, and he was quick to take advantage of it. While his mother continued to cling to the memory of the status she had once held as heir to the throne, Zurg set about establishing his name in business when he was young. Technology mainly, but he dabbled in anything and everything that would put him ahead. By the time he discovered the trans-spacial warp, he’d already amassed quite a fortune."

"So he succeeded in buying out the council?"

"Certainly not!" Xlgta snorted. "I put a stop to that the moment I found out."

"Then what _did_ happen?"

She steepled her fingers. "Something I should have prevented. I should have guessed what he’d try." Taking out the orb again, she raised a brow. "Do you want to see?"

* * *

Rocket was waiting outside his office when Ty arrived. Ty greeted him with a salute. "Sir."

"Cut the ‘sir’ business." Rocket waved his salute down. "I told you, buddy, we’ve known each other too long for that." Shrugging, he turned to the door. "They’re all assembled inside. You wanna go on in?"

Ty nodded. "After you."

Stepping into the office, Rocket called its occupants to attention in a sharp tone. "Meet your new commanding officer, Captain Ty Parsec," he announced.

Ty entered on cue, looking over the three Rangers lined up in front of him. A wave of salutes rose up and he saluted back, offering a hint of a smile. "At ease, people."

The first Ranger was Rusty Matthews, Rocket’s former partner. Rocket had been the one to suggest putting him on the team—Ty needed a copilot, and Rocket assured him there was no one better for the job—but Ty still felt like he was stealing Rocket’s best friend away from him. He had to remind himself that Rocket’s days of patrolling the sectors alongside Rusty were over now that Rocket had been thrust into the position of commander.

The next Ranger was Nasreen Starburn, a seasoned tactical officer who kept to herself a lot but had a spotless record and a presentation that was even more spotless, with not a hair out of place. Ty was surprised when she’d agreed to sign on to his team as a permanent member. She’d been bounced around from cruiser to cruiser as an auxiliary teammate, never choosing to stay in one spot too long. He suspected she preferred working aboard the space station. But perhaps after everything that had happened, she wanted to get away from Capital Planet’s system for awhile.

And finally there was Cadet Petra Hammerhold. Little Petra—Ty could still remember seeing a small kid clinging to Senator Hammerhold’s hand and tottering after him as he went from one meeting to another. It had been one of the more amusing sights in the long, dreary diplomatic security assignments he’d had to endure from time to time. Now little Petra had grown up. She was still young, of course, and definitely not ready for the world she was about to be flung into, but he knew she had what it took to be a fine officer.

"Good morning, Rangers." Ty strode back and forth in front of them. "Today is your first day as members of my team—Team Parsec. Rusty and Nasreen, I know you’re both old hands at this business, so I’ll just stay out of your way and let you do your thing. Petra," he stopped in front of the girl, "you’ve been on a few training missions, but this is the real deal. From now on most of your training will be on the job, though I expect you to continue your studies between missions. You’re not supposed to be out in the field yet, but we’re kinda short-handed around here and it’s a big universe for us Rangers to protect, so we need all the help we can get. Don’t hesitate to come to me with any questions." He stepped back. "Okay, everyone clear on all that?"

"Yes, sir!" the trio replied.

"Good. Let’s get to the cruiser."

_Dang, it feels good to say that,_ he thought as they filed out Rocket’s office. _My own cruiser. My own team. About time._

* * *

If Xlgta was honest with herself, she knew she shouldn’t be doing this. The One had warned her of the dangers of flooding too many memories into Nebula’s mind at once. But the commander was as tough as the steel butt of her old service laser—he could handle it. And she needed him to understand exactly what had happened.

_Zurg didn’t come to this galaxy with malevolent intent,_ she thought. _He had no dreams of taking over or declaring himself emperor. What happened was history’s choice, not his._

The scene that faded in was once again the bridge of a ship, but this time it was a cramped shuttle interior. Zurg sat at the front of the cockpit, piloting the craft. He seemed to be muttering to himself.

"What’s happening now?" asked Nebula, gazing around.

"Zurg has just received the final refusal from the council," said Xlgta. She could feel the anger simmering within the man hunched over the helm. Most of it was directed at her. "We told him in no uncertain terms that no one was allowed through the portal. A few little financial treats dangled in front of Dr. Zel had persuaded him to slip us the data he’d gathered from the probe, and our own scientists were able to study it and devise a way to potentially close the rift."

"Ouch. I can see why Zurg’s mad."

Xlgta nodded. "We informed Zurg we would attempt to close the rift as soon as the scientists finished their preparations. He was to forget about the whole affair and leave us to our work. Naturally, he couldn’t accept that." She found a hint of a smile pulling at her mouth. Zurg had the same fire burning in him that had made the empress so powerful. She only hoped it wouldn’t be his undoing as well. "He decided to take matters into his own hands," she continued. "He slipped out to Grey Space in a shuttle, determined to visit this new galaxy for himself."

They watched as Zurg flew the shuttle straight towards the place where the probe had disappeared. His face was set into a resolved scowl, and Xlgta couldn’t feel any fear radiating from him. _He was always so sure of himself. Convinced he knew best. He thought he was invincible._

The shuttle began to rattle. Xlgta and Nebula found themselves stumbling and grabbing at anything they could to keep from falling. Xlgta told Nebula to concentrate, and they were able to steady their footing. It was all just an illusion, after all. Meanwhile, Zurg ignored the shaking and increased speed, letting the shuttle be yanked in by the forces of the trans-spacial warp. Space seemed to stretch around them, and the stars blurred into long white streaks. The turbulence increased. Zurg’s shuttle was being hurled about the vortex, spinning and twisting and rolling. Even Zurg was looking worried now, but somehow the ship held together.

In less time than it felt it had taken, the violence ceased and the streaks of light reformed into tiny pinpricks. Zurg shut down the engines and the ship came to rest peacefully in a stretch of empty space that looked out upon a vast nebula. Flowing, gaseous tendrils curled out from the stream of violet that washed across the expanse, fading out to nothing at the edges. It had most definitely not been there when they’d entered the rift.

Xlgta could see that Nebula recognised it at once. "This is our galaxy," he said. "Jumpin’ Jupiter, this whole trans-spacial warp hoohah actually works!"

She nodded. "Impressive, isn’t it?"

Zurg certainly seemed to think so. He was staring in awe at the new sights, and she could feel the glee beginning to well up in his heart. He felt vindicated. He’d successfully made it through to a whole new galaxy, and he was convinced the reports he brought back would be enough to change the council’s mind.

_Oh, Zurg,_ Xlgta thought with a sigh. _If only you knew what I would do._ There was an ache in her chest; it felt like an old friend. Guilt. She willed the mindscape away, letting the world melt around her and hoping the feelings would go with it. When she withdrew her hands from Nebula’s head, he was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Why’d you end it?" he asked.

"I do not wish to overload your mind," she said. It seemed a reasonable answer. "You saw what you needed to."

"But what happened then? What’d he do?"

She shrugged. "He explored a few of the surrounding systems, gathering data to bring back to the council. Impulsive as he was, he did have enough sense not to wander too far afield, and he soon returned through the warp. The welcome he faced back on our homeworld wasn’t quite what he expected, however."

Some forty years had passed, but the memories came back easily. She recalled the way Zurg had swaggered triumphantly into the council chambers. The rows of councilwomen stared down on him from the circle of seats that surrounded the council floor, and she sat above all the others, at the high podium. Zurg had barely bothered to bow before her and his voice held not a trace of humility as he addressed her. "Honoured Xlgta," he’d greeted. "I’ve come to petition you one last time."

She’d told him they’d already given their final answer, but he’d insisted. Then he presented the data he’d recorded from his trip. The council watched in shocked silence. Voice of the council she may have been, but even Xlgta was lost for words that day. "You... you disobeyed our explicit orders...?" she’d spluttered.

He babbled some nonsense about why he’d done it. For the good of their people, for the advancement of knowledge—he threw out all the answers he could think of. But they both knew the truth. He did it because he _wanted_ to, because he thought there might be something to gain, and because he didn’t like being told he couldn’t.

The council had muttered in a horrified hush for awhile. It was unheard of for anyone to disobey their orders in such a brazen manner. Xlgta had said nothing as they deliberated. She already knew the decision they would reach. Zurg would have to be punished for his actions, and it would fall on her to call out the punishment. Those were the rules; she couldn’t change them. Not even for her empress’s grandson.

"We were furious over what he’d done," she told Nebula. "He thought his reconnaissance would change our minds, but in reality it only hardened our resolve. I informed him the rift would be closed in two days, when the technology our scientists were developing was ready. And then I sentenced him to ten years’ imprisonment for disobeying the high council."

Nebula’s eyebrows rose. "You don’t mess around, do you? I woulda thought you’d try to go easy on him."

"The Xlgta must be impartial in all things." _No matter the cost._ "I had no choice."

"Hey, I get that. Making tough decisions goes with command." Nebula shrugged. "But if he was in prison, how come...?"

"I suspect you would describe Zurg as someone only a mother could love, would you not?" Xlgta chuckled. "Well love him she did, very much. Xilx—his mother—begged me not to lock him up. It pained me to refuse her. She was like my own daughter in many ways." _I wish she had been my daughter. Perhaps then I could have talked some sense into her and her son._ "But I had to stand my ground. My loyalty was to the council—I had to serve it honourably. No favouritism."

She could see that Nebula understood. They were both people in positions of power. Sometimes you had put your feelings aside in such circumstances, however much it hurt.

"Xilx never had the fierce will that her mother and son were gifted with in such abundance," she continued, "but she would have made her mother proud that day. Somehow she broke into the holding cells were Zurg was being kept and freed him, and together they made their escape in Zurg’s shuttle. I wish I could have seen that..." There were times when she’d thought the girl weak, but Xilx had proven she may indeed have made a strong leader had she ever been able to take the throne. "Perhaps we can review the memories together tomorrow, when your mind is rested."

Nebula was frowning. He seemed troubled by something. "They headed for the rift, didn’t they?"

"Yes. It was the day of the sealing. They wanted to stop the rift from being closed. It was all so foolish and impetuous," she said, letting the wistfulness in her voice grow thicker. "All so very like the empress when the fire in her heart was stoked."

"It went wrong though, didn’t it?"

Xlgta nodded. "They did not realise I had already anticipated their actions and sent extra ships to the rift. They were not prepared to engage so many. There was no way they could stop them or avoid capture—everything they’d done was for nothing." She could feel her hands shaking. "But Zurg has always had a brilliant mind, and he decided to take a tactical risk that could’ve won the day... it _would_ have, if I’d been there."

"He flew his ship through the rift," Nebula whispered. There was a distant look in his eyes, as if his thoughts were elsewhere.

"How did you guess?"

Nebula shrugged, returning to the present. "It’s what I would’ve done."

She nodded. "He thought we would not dare seal it with him on the other side. I suspect he thought we would be forced to go through after him and would discover this new galaxy wasn’t as dangerous as we believed. Whatever the case, he was wrong." She shut her eyes and breathed deeply. "The leader of the mission was a captain who always followed orders to the letter. She had been told to seal the rift, so seal the rift she did. It didn’t matter to her who was on the other side. The team of scientists who were with her made the trans-spacial tunnel collapse in on itself, and any chance Zurg and his mother had of returning was gone forever. They were trapped."

"And how did you feel when you found out?" Nebula asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.

The old emotions returned. "Furious," she growled. "Devastated. Helpless." _Guilty._ "I had failed my empress. I promised to keep her family safe, and now they were stranded in another galaxy, so very far from home. I knew I would never see them again."

"Yet here you are," said Nebula. "You made it. You still haven’t told me how."

"Another rift was found," she answered quietly. "I spent years searching for one. Eventually a humble freighter captain stumbled upon it, and I chanced to hear of it through my connections. I hid the matter from the council, at risk to my position and my personal honour, because I knew they would want it sealed." She smiled. "I suppose I am not the same woman who condemned Zurg to a decade in prison. I have realised where my true loyalty lies—where it always lay. With my supreme empress and her family."

"So you went through the—"

The commander’s words were cut off by a beeping from outside the room. "The proximity alarm," hissed Xlgta, rushing out. She didn’t bother to stop Nebula from following her—she decided it was time she trusted him enough to let him out.

They reached the cockpit and Xlgta checked the readings. "Well, well," she said, exchanging a glance with the commander. " _This_ is interesting. I wonder where all these ships are heading?"


	47. Chapter 46

It had been hot all day, the kind of heat that wilted the leaves and turned streams into cracked mud beds. The jungle was quiet; the animals were all seeking relief in the shade, too weary to go on their usual prowls. Ozma had found the muggy atmosphere choking when she’d emerged from the dome that morning, and the baking sun hadn’t improved anything as it rose higher in the sky. She’d sensed a change in the weather though, her suspicions confirmed when dark clouds began to form on the horizon. The jungle was in for one of its periodic downpours, and once it started there was no telling when it might end. Deciding to seize what little time she had left before the rain started, she’d set out in her servo-suit to do her weekly rounds through the jungle.

The whole galaxy may have been turned upside-down and screwed inside out, but that was no excuse to slack off on the job. There were nests to check, migration data to catalogue, poaching evidence to look out for, and a dozen other little tasks that she did every week. Along the way she gathered some fruit, knowing the Rangers might like a change from Star Command rations and bunzels. Karnian fruit was surprisingly delicious, a secret she shared with only a select few who could be trusted not to spread the word. The last thing she needed was farming corporations coming to harvest the jungle’s produce.

Satisfied that she had enough for a nice dessert, she hurried back to base. The sky had darkened considerably. If she was lucky, she’d get inside before the first drops started falling.

"Hey, Ozma!" It was Booster. He sat on a log at the edge of a clearing, staring out at the jungle.

"Hi." Ozma stopped, sitting down beside him to catch her breath. "What are you doing out here, Booster? You’d better get back into the cruiser—there’s a storm on the way."

"I know." He shrugged. "I’ll go back soon. I just like it out here."

She studied the Jo-Adian. He’d always seemed a nice kid, if a bit naive. He had an appreciation for nature that the rest of his team lacked. "I suppose it is nice," she said, turning to the still trees standing tall against a steel-grey sky. "I always liked that feeling before the rain. Especially here in the jungle—it was never the same back in the city."

"You used to live in a city?"

"Unfortunately. Capital City born and raised, but you won’t catch me living there again."

Booster nodded eagerly. "I know what you mean. I love the outdoors! Back home on my parents’ farm, I used to spend every moment I could out in the fields. Sometimes me and my friend Buster would sneak out before a thunderstorm just to watch it from the old barn. It was so cool sitting up in the loft and watching the lightning!" He grinned sheepishly. "Ma really tanned our hides when she caught us, though."

"So will Buzz if you don’t go in before the storm hits." said Ozma, though she made no move to get up herself. She stared at the sky. "But I think we’ve still got a few minutes."

Booster was silent awhile. "It’s so peaceful out here," he sighed. "You can almost... forget..."

Ozma frowned, and turned to look at him again. "How old are you, Booster?"

"Um... 22." He blushed. "Everyone thinks I’m still a kid."

She bit back the urge to tell him that he was. When she was 22, she’d been just the same, trying to be older than she was, thinking she was someone big in the universe. Fifteen years had done a lot to ground her in reality. She knew who she was now, but Booster was still figuring it out and that was no easy task when you were thrust in the middle of galaxywide battle of good versus evil. It wasn’t fair. "How long have you wanted to be a Ranger?" she asked.

"Since forever!" A smile broke across his face. "When I was little I used to hear stories about Buzz defeating Zurg and saving the day, and I always knew I’d join him one day!"

"Is this what you imagined it would be like?"

Booster’s smile fell away. "No," he said at last, looking up at the grey sky. "No, I guess it isn’t."

Emotional support wasn’t one of her stronger areas, but she was getting better at it, especially now that she had actual people around the place. Ozma patted his shoulder. "It’ll be okay. Don’t tell the jarhead I said this, but I have a lot of faith in Buzz." She smiled. "And you do too, don’t you?"

"Of course," Booster answered instantly. "He’s... well, he’s Buzz."

As circular as that logic sounded, she understood. It would’ve held more weight before the fall of the Galactic Alliance, but even now, Buzz Lightyear was more than just a man. He was a modern legend. His name was synonymous with heroism and hope and the triumph of justice—everything good in the universe. Despite the setbacks they’d faced, she knew if anyone could put things right, it was Buzz.

* * *

He preferred to avoid using his jetpack—extra power cells wouldn’t be easy to come by on Karn, and they didn’t have many in storage aboard the cruisers—but it was a necessity at times. Buzz hovered beside his ship, running a hand over the rough metal hull. Circling around slowly, he inspected every inch of the vessel with his usual thoroughness. Everything looked in order—a small miracle after all they’d been through. He and Booster had done a good job of repairing it.

"Hey, Buzz, whatcha doing?"

Buzz landed beside Booster and Ozma, who were both ambling across the clearing. "Just making sure everything’s battened down good and tight," he told his rookie. "Looks like we’re in for a lot of rain."

"Definitely," said Ozma. "Could last for days. Karnian rainstorms are nothing to take lightly—we could see heavy flooding from the river, and there’ll be a lot of electrical activity. I hope your cruisers are lightning proof."

"Don’t you worry, ol’ 42 can handle a little thunder." Buzz patted one of the landing struts. "She’s been through a lot, but she always makes it out in the end."

Raising an eyebrow, Ozma continued, "Yes, well, anthropomorphism of inanimate objects aside, I just want you to be careful. If the river does flood, you and your Rangers are free to ride it out in the bio-station. It has a reinforced shell specifically designed to withstand all environmental conditions." She shrugged. "I’ve weathered my share of floods in there."

"We’ll keep that in mind, Ozma, thanks." Buzz glanced up at the sky. "The rain’s gonna start pouring any minute. You’d better get yourself inside."

"Actually, I was hoping you and Booster would join me." Ozma held up a bucket of fruit. "I thought we’d have some dessert. We can hunt through my storeroom for ingredients and fix up some dinner if we’re lucky enough to find anything good back there." She smiled. "I thought a little variety would be nice, just to keep things interesting. You two have both been through a lot and you deserve a break."

Buzz rubbed his chin. "Well, I dunno. We really should stay with the cruiser..."

"Suit yourself. If you don’t think you’re capable of rustling up a decent meal with limited supplies, that’s fine. I understand." Her eyes twinkled.

Oh, that wasn’t fair. She knew exactly which buttons to push. Buzz put his hands on his hips. "You take that back, Doctor! They haven’t invented the dish that Buzz Lightyear can’t cook!" He straightened, switching to his mission voice. "Okay, people, Operation Dinner starts right now! Booster, you go to the storeroom and see what you can find. Ozma, you’re on crockery and kitchen utensils. I’ll prep the kitchen. Let’s move out!"

They filed into the bio-station and set to work. Ozma started bringing out bowls and cutlery, and Booster soon emerged with an armful of supplies. Once he was finished tidying the kitchen, Buzz rustled through the boxes and tins, checking all the labels. It would be tough, but he might just be able to make something halfway decent with what was at hand. He hadn’t studied under a kitchen master like Nana Lightyear for nothing.

Deciding on an old favourite, Nana’s famous Starburst Soup, he piled the necessary ingredients on the counter and told Booster to put the rest back into storage. He then got a large pot from Ozma, filled it with water, and set it on the stove.

"Anything else I can do?" asked Booster, returning from the storeroom.

"Start opening those cans." Buzz grabbed a knife. "Ozma, you and I have some vegetables to chop."

Booster made quick work of the cans, passing each one to Buzz, who would spread the contents on his chopping board and flash his knife across in quick strokes. The freshly-sliced vegetables then made their way into the pot.

Ozma was less adept with the knife, but Buzz was pleased to note she was making good progress all the same. He’d make a chef out of her yet.

"You always liked cooking?" she asked, pausing to wipe her knife clean.

"Picked it up when I started living with my grandmother." Finding a large spoon, Buzz began stirring the contents of the pot. "Nana loved to cook and bake. Taught me everything she knew and then some. Why do you think they always ask me to do the food at the Star Command barbecues?"

Booster glanced up. "But Buzz, _you’re_ the one who organises the barbecue duty roster. You get to put yourself—"

"Anyway," Buzz continued, pretending Booster hadn’t spoken, "my Buzz Burgers are legendary back on Star Command. I’ll make you some one day, Ozma. They’ll change your life."

"Sorry, vegetarian here. Looks like my life’s stuck the way it is."

They continued working until at last all the ingredients were in the simmering pot, and Buzz stood stirring the contents while the other two sat down at the kitchen table. Ozma had poured herself a cup of coffee and was sipping it. "So what are you going to do now?" she asked, resting her chin in her hand.

"Well, first I’m going to wait for the soup to—"

"I don’t mean dinner. I mean the galaxy."

"Oh. Right. Yeah, quite a difference there." Buzz rubbed his neck. He wished the galaxy was as easy to handle. "I’m still working on a game plan..."

"Anything yet?"

He shook his head. Their success on Planet X had buoyed his spirits slightly, though the vision of the future he’d seen continued to loom in the back of his mind like the dark clouds blotting out the Karnian sky, but ultimately they were still as powerless as they’d been before. Five damaged cruisers were nothing against Zurg’s forces. All the strategising in the universe couldn’t change that fact.

He stirred the pot again. "All I know is that we need to come up with a new location for our base. I’m thinking about one of the asteroids in the—"

"Hold on." Ozma raised a hand to stop him. "You’re leaving?"

Buzz shrugged. "I wish I could stay, Ozma, really, but I don’t want to put you at risk any longer. Zurg’s gonna be mad about us stopping Warp and that’ll make him even more determined to find me. He knows about you—it’s only a matter of time before he decides to check here. I want to be long gone when that happens."

"But every time you move, you risk being spotted. Space is filled with marker buoys and long range probes and border patrollers," said Ozma. "And Zurg is now in charge of all of them."

"What choice do we have?" He wanted to stay. More than he’d care to admit, in fact. Home had always been where what he loved most was—once it had been Morph with his mother, then Capital Planet with Nana, and finally Star Command. He couldn’t go to any of those places now, but he still had Karn. He wouldn’t say he cared for the planet itself the way Ozma did, but having her there made it home to him. She and Booster were the pillars holding up his crumbling world. He didn’t want to say goodbye. "Look, Ozma," he whispered, abandoning his post at the stove and leaning across the table, "why don’t you come with us? It might be safer. Even if Zurg doesn’t find us here, he could still take you prisoner. He’ll use anything he can as leverage against me. I’d rather have you with me, where I can keep you safe."

Her blue eyes looked up at him with that same mixture of amusement and irritation they’d held when they’d landed on him the first time he met her. "When have I ever needed protecting, Lightyear? I can handle Zurg. Can and _have_."

"Oh yeah, like he wouldn’t have killed you the moment he was done using you if we hadn’t shown up!" Buzz rolled his eyes, remembering the affair with the millennial bugs. "There’s only one person in the universe who can handle Zurg, and that’s me. And even _I_ don’t want to confront him yet."

"I am _not_ leaving." Ozma set her mug down with a bang. "You have your work, and I have mine. Someone needs to look after Karn."

Buzz sighed. He wasn’t usually one to admit defeat, but he knew when an argument with Ozma was unwinnable. "Fine, forget it. But I’m going to miss you when we go."

She smiled. "Don’t let your soup burn, Ranger."

"Wha—? Oh!" Whipping around, Buzz rushed to the stove.

* * *

Both Star Command and his own scientists had gathered a lot of data from studying the trans-spacial warp to Roswell, and Zurg had been quick to make that data available to his new specialist. He wished the Roswell tunnel could take him where he wanted to go, bypassing the need for this work, but its travel options were limited. It wasn’t part of the main tunnel network. _Just my luck,_ he snorted.

Still, XL might come up with something...

The little robot was studying the information, cross-checking some of it with the Brain Pods. Despite the impression he gave, he was no fool, that bot—Zurg wouldn’t have reactivated him four years previously if he’d thought he was an idiot. He knew what the former renegade was capable of.

The robot he saw now though was very different from the one that had rampaged across the galaxy in fits of anger and mania. XL was no longer on a quest for vengeance, nor did he seem to be trying to prove himself to anyone, though Zurg suspected that desire still lived on inside him. _What a pity he doesn’t have his dear human daddy to make proud anymore._ A smile curved over Zurg’s face. He hadn’t been sorry when he’d heard about Commander Nebula’s demise. The old coot was too dangerous to keep around.

"Well?" he asked XL. "Anything?"

"Hmm..." XL scratched his head. "As far as I can make out, ol’ Natron went around punching holes in the fabric of space to make these rifts into trans-space. But listen, man, that’s fine if you know what you’re doing, but if you don’t you could rip too big a hole and cause really, really bad, ‘oops there goes my favourite solar system’ kinds of stuff to happen!"

"Natron figured it out."

"Sure, but he had a whole universe to test it on! Who knows how many solar systems he wiped out before he got it right!"

Zurg folded his arms. "I have a whole galaxy. I think I too can spare a few systems in the name of science."

"Fine, man." XL shrugged. "But I still dunno how Natron ripped open these holes in the first place. Do you have the specs on that bomb of yours that opened the portal to the alternate universe? Maybe that’ll give me a clue."

His brow shooting up, Zurg leaned over the robot and eyed him suspiciously. "How do you know about _that_? I thought I told my lackeys to keep the details of that incident secret!" He didn’t want anyone trying to emulate his experiment—one evil Buzz Lightyear was quite enough to deal with, thank you very much. Besides, the whole affair had been a bit humiliating. Better if no one knew just how much he had messed up.

"Aw, c’mon, man, you expect a dude like me not to know these things? I poked through all your files last time I was on Planet Z."

Zurg glared at him. "Maybe I should wipe a few of your memory circuits when this is over." _Not that I’m going to let you live that long, of course._ He stood up straight. "Alright, I’ll give you access to the data on that experiment. It was an accident, mind you—we never had any intention of opening a rift. I’d been looking forward to an obscenely loud boom that day."

"You don’t get booms in space, Z-dude. It’s a vacuum."

"I know that," he growled. "And if you call me Z-dude again, I’ll melt you down and turn you into little shrimp forks to use at my next banquet."

He turned and left XL to his work. They were aboard the Dreadnought, still in orbit around Capital Planet. Zurg wished they were back on Planet Z. There were better facilities at his palace—XL’s research might proceed quicker—and on a more personal level, he missed the place. But until Lightyear was out of the way and his new empire had been fully established, he couldn’t risk leaving Capital Planet. _I have to show them who’s in charge._

He wondered if Warp would miss Planet Z. _That idiot will be back,_ he told himself. _He knows he’s nothing without me. The man is self-interested to the last—he’ll go where the power is. Once he’s done having his little hissy fit he’ll come crawling back. He has to._ Zurg tightened his fists. Darkmatter’s departure was still a sore point with him.

He looked out into space. _Besides, I have his moon and his asteroid staked out. Where else can he go but back to me?_

* * *

Buzz had rescued the soup in the nick of time, and he divided it up between the three of them. Booster got the biggest portion, of course—his appetite was as healthy as ever, which secretly pleased Buzz, who remembered how the rookie had barely picked at his food after Jo-Ad had been conquered—and Ozma only asked for a small helping, apparently sceptical of Buzz’s skills. Well, he’d show her. Once it was all dished up, they clustered around the table and began to eat.

Ozma lifted the spoon to her lips and took a tentative taste. Then another. And another.

"Good, isn’t it?" Buzz grinned in triumph.

"I’ll never doubt the great Buzz Lightyear again."

"I sure hope not, Doctor."

They laughed and continued their meal. The storm had started in earnest outside. Buzz could hear the rain battering the metal shell of the bio-station, pouring down in torrents. Distant thunder rumbled ominously. The clearing was going to turn to mud; he hoped the cruisers wouldn’t sink down.

"How long before there’s a lull?" he asked, scooping up the last vegetable chunks from his bowl.

"What makes you think there’ll _be_ a lull?" Ozma countered. "It’ll only get worse from here."

"Oh." Buzz frowned. "Ugh, I don’t want to trudge out there in this weather, but we really should be with 42..."

"Afraid she’ll get lonely?"

"Hey, I don’t mock you and your animals, so you leave me and my ship." They’d all finished their soup by then, so he gathered up the bowls and dumped them in the dishwasher, returning with a tray of fruit. Given more time he might’ve tried to whip up some fancy fruity dessert, but it was too late in the day for that and he was too tired. Setting the tray on the table, he picked a berry and popped it in his mouth.

"I wouldn’t recommend going out any time soon," said Ozma. "Your suits may keep you dry, but you’ll track mud all through your precious cruiser."

"Yeah, guess you’re right." He shrugged. "I suppose we’ll have to stay the night here."

"I’ve heard that line before."

Buzz coughed, trying not to choke on the second berry he was chewing. "Er, no, that’s not what I—"

"Relax, Space Ranger," she laughed.

He found his cheeks growing hot. Shoving more fruit into his mouth to avoid having to speak, he glanced at Booster. The Jo-Adian was removing the seeds from some sort of large melon and didn’t seem to be paying attention to their conversation. "Look, uh, Ozma," he began, rubbing his neck, "I—"

There was a beep from his wrist comm. Sighing, Buzz opened it. "Lightyear here."

"Ranger Kayuga, sir. I thought you should know—we just picked up a ship above the planet."

Buzz jumped to his feet. "What? When?" Booster and Ozma were both looking his way now, startled.

"A few minutes ago. We can’t get a solid fix on it. The storm’s interfering with our sensors something crazy, but there’s definitely a vessel of some sort heading this way."

_Craters._ _We should’ve left as soon as we got back from Planet X! I knew someone could track us back here!_ "Right, I’m on my way to 42. Lightyear out." Shutting his communicator, Buzz turned to the other two. "Looks like our visit has been cut short."

"What are you going to do?" asked Ozma.

"I don’t know." He furrowed his brow. "Maybe the storm’ll provide enough cover for us to slip away undetected."

"Um, I wouldn’t bet on it," said Booster. "If we can pick up them, they’ll definitely pick up five ships leaving!"

"Then we stay and fight."

"It could be poachers," offered Ozma. "It might have nothing to do with you or Zurg."

"We can’t take that chance." Putting up his helmet, Buzz gestured for Booster to follow him and they rushed out into the rain. It was still coming down in buckets, swamping the ground and reducing visibility to zero. Taking a guess, Buzz headed in what he hoped was the direction of 42. A few moments later he thudded into one of the landing struts. He pressed a button on his suit and the hatch opened. The ladder descended and he grabbed a rung as soon it was in reaching distance.

The pair clambered up into the ship, leaving a soggy mess of mud and puddles in the airlock. Buzz knew they would have a lot of mopping up to do the next day. For now though, he’d just have to hold his nose and ignore the dirty footprints they were leaving as they ran down the corridor.

When they made it to the bridge, he flung himself into his chair, flicking the sensors on and studying the screens. Kayuga was right—a small blip on the monitor showed the energy signature of an approaching ship.

"Do you think they know where we are?" asked Booster.

"Not likely. The cruisers are running on minimal power—if they pick up any tech readings at all in this storm, it’ll be too difficult to differentiate them from the bio-station." But if the ship continued to get closer...

Booster shrugged hopefully. "Maybe they’ll leave soon."

"They’re here for a reason. People don’t just drop by Karn for fun."

There was a burst of static over the comm. Buzz had to cover his ears, wincing at the loud crackle. "They’re trying to transmit a message," he said, turning down the volume. "Looks like it’s on all frequencies, but it’s not getting through. Too much interference from the storm." _Boy, Ozma wasn’t kidding about these Karnian storms being rough._

"Our cruisers might have better range," said Booster. "Should we try answering them?"

"No. Not till we know who they are." _They know we’re here. They have to—I’m pretty sure they haven’t come all this way just to talk to Ozma._

The static stopped. Something began to flash up on the screen. "They can’t get an audio signal through so they’re sending a text message," Buzz realised. He squinted at the words slowly appearing on the display. "‘Hey Lightyear...’" _Craters, they_ do _know I’m here._ "‘It’s  me.’ Well, _that’s_ helpful. ‘I’m going to land. Don’t worry, I’m here to help. What are friends for? See you on the ground, buddy.’ Message ends." He swivelled around to exchange a glance with Booster. "Who...?"

Booster looked nervous. "Are we gonna let them land?"

_Ugh, why didn’t they identify themselves?_ The ship was most vulnerable while it was descending through the storm—concentrated fire from all the cruisers could easily bring it down. But if it really was someone who wanted to help... _Can we take that chance?_ He gritted his teeth. _Of all the days for a stupid sensor-scrambling storm!_

_Okay, okay, Buzz, think about this logically. Would an enemy announce themselves?_ He rubbed his head. _But if they’re not an enemy, who are they? Mira and XR are on Capital Planet, Rocket and Ty are on Star Command, the commander... is dead. I’m all out friends._

There was one possibility, but he dismissed it immediately. _No way. It couldn’t be him._ ...could it?

_Guess there’s only one way to find out._ Buzz nodded to Booster. "We’ll let them land. But I want all the cruisers to keep a weapons lock on that ship, and every available Ranger is going to be with me on the ground to meet them. If this is a trap, Buzz Lightyear’s not about to walk right into it!"

He gave his orders to the other Rangers over the comm, then called the bio-station and told Ozma to turn on the floodlights. It might give them a little visibility in the rain. Closing his helmet again, he left his chair and patted Booster on the shoulder. "You keep our guns trained on that ship. And don’t worry—everything’ll be fine."

"Be careful, Buzz," whispered Booster.

"I’m a Space Ranger, Booster. I’m always careful."

He left the ship and marched through the mud. The light from the dome was sparkling through the falling rain, making the streams of water gleam a brilliant golden. It was still hard to see, especially with rain constantly splattering his helmet, but better than before. The other Rangers were assembling alongside him, a short distance from the spot where the strange ship was expected to land. The tension mounted as they waited.

Eventually, the lights from the engines appeared in the black sky. They grew larger, coming down towards the clearing. As the ship neared the ground, Buzz could see vapour rising from the thrusters as the rain turned to steam. The beams from the floodlights were well-defined in the rising mist. Buzz wished the ship itself showed up as clearly. He couldn’t even make out the silhouette in the dark.

The engines shut off. Buzz ordered his Rangers to raise their laser arms. "No one shoots unless I say so," he told them.

They waited. The hatch began to open. Yellow light spilled out, shining across the wet ground. A figure stood in the airlock. They were a black shape against the light, but Buzz could tell they were wearing some kind of battle armour. He wondered... could it be true after all? Did he really dare to hope?

The figure took a step down from the ship. "Don’t fire," Buzz repeated to his Rangers. "Just stay alert."

The figure was getting closer. He caught a flash of purple in the light.

Buzz began to approach now, forcing himself to walk slowly and calmly. "Warp...?" he breathed when the person was within earshot.

"Hello, Lightyear." The face finally came under the floodlights’ glare. Buzz stopped short. "Sorry, were you expecting someone else?" the newcomer asked.

"You..."

The bearded man grinned. "Always nice to see myself, isn’t it, Buzz?"


	48. Chapter 47

Buzz stared at the man standing in front of him. Rain was streaming down the man’s face, glistening in the light from the bio-station. His beard was dark and sodden. Buzz wondered why he hadn’t put his helmet up—the rain must have been freezing. But the man didn’t flinch. "You," he repeated. "Me... the evil me..."

"If that’s what you want to call me. I prefer Supreme High Commander Lightyear, but I’m willing to make an exception for an old friend." His counterpart was still grinning. "Are you going to invite me in?"

"What are you doing here?" Buzz demanded. "Last I checked, you were dead."

There it was, that icy chuckle. Buzz remembered it well. "Oh, you really have been left out of the loop, haven’t you, Lightyear?" The other Buzz took a step forward, holding up his hands when the Rangers closed in. "Easy, I’m not here to hurt anyone."

"That’ll be the day," retorted Buzz. "Search him!"

Two Rangers patted down his counterpart, removing three lasers and a knife. "You didn’t expect me to come unarmed, did you?" the other Buzz shrugged. "I never go anywhere without a few triggers to pull. But I was telling the truth—I came here to help you."

"And why would you do that?" Buzz asked. " _I_ tried to help _you_ —twice. I offered you a chance to surrender and you wouldn’t take it. I was willing to take you with me when your base was crashing into the sun, but instead you tried to leave us behind. You’re not interested in teamwork or helping people—you’ve always been about chaos and destruction! And if you can’t have that then you’d rather risk death than accept defeat! So what are you really doing here?"

"Times change, Lightyear. You should’ve learned that by now." The other Buzz circled past him. "Look around—it’s not the same universe you and Zurg trapped me in. Evil has won. You have no place here anymore."

"Then why aren’t you having this conversation with Zurg instead of me?"

His double shrugged. "Already tried working with Zurg. Twice. If I go back to him, he’ll kill me." He grinned. "You see, Buzz, you and I are riding the same starship now—we both need Zurg out of the way."

Buzz folded his arms. "And you’re gonna help me get rid of him, are you?"

"That’s the deal."

"You really think I’d ever trust you?"

"Who said anything about trust?" The other Buzz grinned. "All I’m asking for is a partnership. You and me against Zurg. Lightyear and Lightyear. Just think, of it, Buzz—isn’t this what you want? An ally?"

"Not you."

"You won’t get very far on your own."

Buzz frowned. "One extra man isn’t going to tip the balance."

"I’m not just an extra man, I’m an extra _you._ " His double turned back to the ship. "Besides, I’m not stupid enough to come alone. You think I don’t have people of my own?" He snapped his fingers.

Another figure emerged from the hatch. "Don’t shoot!" a nervous voice called as the Rangers turned their wrist lasers on her. "Aw, craters, you didn’t say the weather was _this_ bad..."

"Quit whining." The other Buzz grabbed the girl’s arm and dragged her into the light. "Lightyear, meet my new protege."

"Hey, Buzz." A defiant face looked up at him. Even with strands of wet blue hair falling over her features, Buzz recognised the upturned nose, the determined eyes, the sarcastic smirk...

"Savy!" he gasped. "What in the galaxy?"

"Bet you weren’t expecting to see me here, huh?" Her teeth chattered in the cold, but she sounded disturbingly confident.

The other Buzz patted her shoulder. "Like I said, I brought backup."

Buzz stared at the pair for a long moment. "Alright," he said at last, lowering his wrist laser. "Let’s go inside and talk about this."

* * *

Ozma paced around the cramped front room of her base. She didn’t know what was happening outside. _I should’ve gone out with them,_ she thought, eyeing her servo-suit. There was still time to put it on.

_No,_ she shook her head. _If I interfere, I might make things worse. They’re Space Rangers—they’re trained to deal with this kind of thing._ Folding her arms, she leaned against her desk and decided to wait it out.

The wait was shorter then she expected. There was a pounding on the door, the few sharp raps familiar to her by now as Buzz’s signature knock. Grabbing a jacket that had been tossed over her chair, she ran to open the seal. Chilling, biting wind flowed in when the hatch opened, lashing her with rain. She pulled the jacket tighter.

A group of people tramped into her base. Booster took the lead, a paler shade of red than she’d ever seen him. A teenage girl followed. She had her hands in the pockets of her drenched coat and scowled when she looked Ozma’s way. Last but not least was Buzz, wrist laser held up in readiness as he escorted... Buzz? Ozma’s eyes widened. The man walking beside Buzz could have been his twin, so uncanny was the likeness. He wore a strange armoured suit that was all too reminiscent of Zurg’s outfit, and a blue goatee covered the lower half of his face. The real difference between him and her Buzz was in the eyes, though. He turned to look at her, a smirk on his face, and she found herself staring into the coldest blue she could imagine.

"Sit down," Buzz ordered the pair. The girl did so, but the man remained standing. "I said _sit_!"

"Ah, so you do get angry sometimes." The man took a seat, chuckling. "I was starting to worry the boy scout act was for real."

Ozma turned to Buzz. "What’s going on? Buzz, who are these people?"

"You’re looking well, Dr. Furbanna." The man was staring at her again, smiling. If it could be called a smile.

"How do you know my—?"

Buzz stepped between them. "Leave her alone. You will talk to me or you will keep quiet, is that understood?"

"What’s the matter, Lightyear? Jealous?"

"I’m running out of patience, so you’d better watch your attitude, mister." Buzz still had his laser trained on him.

Planting her hands on her hips, Ozma faced the group. "Would somebody please give me some answers? You’re in _my_ base, on _my_ planet, and I want to know what’s going on."

"Sorry, right." Buzz nodded sheepishly. "Ozma, meet Savy SL2, inhabitant of Trade World and Junior Ranger."

" _Ex_ -Junior Ranger, please." The girl rolled her eyes. "I mean, duh, I’m seventeen, do you think I’d still be hanging around with that crowd?"

"Better than the company you’re keeping now." There was a note of disappointment in Buzz’s voice. "And this... well, this is Buzz Lightyear."

"In the flesh." The man put his hands behind his head and leaned back. "A pleasure as always, Furbanna."

Buzz shot a glare at him before turning back to Ozma. "He’s, uh, he’s from an alternate universe... Long story short, Zurg accidentally found a way into a parallel reality where everything was the same except I was a homicidal maniac who’d conquered or destroyed practically every planet in the galaxy. I—he—tried to do the same thing here. He didn’t succeed, but he got stuck in our reality and is sitting here now because he’s apparently harder to kill than a Delrubian cockroach."

"I’m sure Zurg thinks the same about you," the other Buzz remarked with a grin. "Bet it’s driving him crazy knowing there’s two of us on the loose."

"What exactly is your connection to Zurg this time?" asked Buzz. "How’d you get involved with him?"

The man shrugged, taking his time in answering. "How many times have you cheated death, Lightyear?"

"What? I asked you a question."

"And I’m asking you one. Me, I’ve done it a lot," he said. "Comes with the territory. Do you ever wonder though if your luck will run out some day?"

Buzz’s expression grew sombre. "It already has. That’s why we lost and I’m talking to you now."

A burst of laughter escaped his double’s lips and he slapped his knee. "Oh, Buzz. Arrogant as always, eh?" He leaned forward. "You think the Galactic Alliance’s fate rested on _you?_ On _your_ luck?"

"I should’ve stopped Zurg..."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." His double reclined against the chair again. "Anyway, I thought my luck had run out when I was falling toward that sun. It was the first time in my life I actually thought I was going to die."

"Too bad you didn’t," snapped Booster.

Ozma looked at the boy in surprise. She’d never witnessed such spite from him before. He wasn’t usually one to be vindictive. Just what had this... this other Buzz done to make everyone hate him so much?

"I could feel myself boiling alive in my suit," the man continued. "Just as I was about to pass out, I saw it—a falling rocket. I managed to grab it. I don’t remember all the details, but somehow I made it out of there. I turned that rocket around and clung to it like a space barnacle to the hull of a garbage scow. The last thing I remember before I finally blacked out was thinking that my luck had come through for me after all." He laughed. "Boy, was I wrong. I learned the hard way that there’s no such thing as luck—only opportunities. The lucky people are the ones who know how to use them."

"What happened?" Buzz asked. "Where’d you end up?"

"Snuck onto the hull of the first ship that passed my way and magnetised to it. Mistake number one—it took me all the way out to Beta Bayou. When I saw the ship was going to land, I used the last fuel in my rocket to enter the atmosphere at my own speed to avoid burning up. Didn’t quite make it all the way." He snorted. "Crashed in the swamps."

"Nice place, Beta Bayou," said Ozma, rolling her eyes as she recalled what she knew about the planet. "Slavery, gangs, hunting, drugs..."

Buzz frowned at her. "That’s not the whole planet—just the backwaters. The Alliance has done a lot of reforms since they joined."

"Didn’t do me much good," said his double.

"You crashed in the swamps... right in the worst of it."

He nodded. "A slaver party found me. Thought I was an escapee from one of the other camps. They chained me up with the rest of their prisoners and we marched through miles of swamp to the holding area. None of you coddled, snot-nosed Rangers have any idea what that’s like, do you? Chugging through the mud, drinking filthy water, your face covered in blisters from a sun that never stops shining... and the worst part is you’re trapped. The manacles dig into your skin and you have to keep up and do as you’re told otherwise they beat you till you can barely walk."

Buzz gazed at him emotionlessly. "Is it any worse than the suffering you inflicted on innocent millions?"

"Oh, it wasn’t millions, Buzz," the man laughed. "It was billions. I kept score." He tilted his head. "You know, you’ve gotten colder since we last met."

"I’ve seen too many good folk die to have sympathy for murderers."

His double smiled. "I remember feeling that way once. It’s a slow road down, isn’t it, Lightyear?" He shrugged. "Anyway, I was stuck in that cell for months. I lost track of time. Tried escaping a few times, but all I have to show for it are scars."

"How did you get out?" Ozma was fascinated in spite of herself. She still couldn’t believe this was the same man—well, almost the same man—as the Space Ranger she knew.

"Zurg." The name seemed to leave a bad taste in his mouth. "Somehow he found out I was there. I guess he has contacts on that planet. He bought me from the slaver. Ha, bought _me_ —Buzz Lightyear."

Buzz remained unmoved. "When was this?"

"Oh, must’ve been about two years ago..." The man seemed to delight in their surprise. "Yes, he’s kept me locked up that long. Hid me down in one of his cells and tortured me. Eventually he even thought he’d broken me in."

"Then he’s a fool," said Buzz.

"Yes, he is." His double’s sneer turned into a look of pride. "But I didn’t waste that time. Awhile back, he rounded up some thugs for hire and put me in charge of them. All part of his big plan to conquer the galaxy, you see. We were out in Sector 47, away from Zurg’s watchful eye, and I hatched a plan with them to—"

"Sector 47?" Booster frowned. "You were the ones hijacking all those ships!"

"Ah, so you heard about my handiwork."

The Jo-Adian grabbed him by the collar of his suit and hoisted him into the air, one fist half-poised to smash his face in. "I saw what you did! I saw all those poor people you left to suffocate! Me and Mira had to take their bodies back to their families!"

"Booster, put him down!" called Buzz.

"You didn’t have to kill those people!" Booster’s voice was cracking. "You didn’t have to leave them to die like that!"

The other Buzz looked at him nonchalantly, not even bothering to struggle. "Zurg wanted the operation kept hush-hush. No witnesses."

Tears in his eyes, Booster raised a shaking fist above his head. "You... you...!"

"Put him down!" Savy was on her feet now, grabbing at the man’s legs and trying to yank him away. "You can’t hurt us! We’re unarmed!"

"Booster!" Buzz whistled sharply and at last the boy seemed to see reason. He set the man down again.

"You should’ve been left to rot in that prison," he whispered.

Buzz held his hands up in the air. "Alright, everyone, just settle down. Booster," he leaned closer to his rookie, "maybe you should go back to the cruiser."

"No," Booster answered firmly. "We’ve gotta watch him, Buzz! We can’t trust him one bit!"

"I know, I know."

Ozma approached the big Jo-Adian and quietly pressed her hand into his. "It’ll be okay, Booster," she said. "Just keep a level head. You might need it."

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, sorry. You’re right, Ozma. I will."

"So you were the second fleet that showed up at Capital Planet," Buzz said to his double. He seemed to be straining to maintain a level of detachment. "Tell me, the Valkyran raider that fired on Capital City—was that your ship?"

The other Buzz nodded, something like amusement glittering in his eyes. "That was me."

Ozma saw Buzz’s fists tighten. "You cost us the battle," he said, his voice sinking to a growl. "You killed hundreds of civilians. We almost had Zurg on the run and then you arrived!"

"I was his secret weapon. Do you think I had a choice?"

Buzz turned his back on him. "Give me one reason why I shouldn’t have you executed right here for war crimes."

"‘Cause you’re too soft. You couldn’t do it, especially not like this—you know it wouldn’t be legal."

"Right and wrong and the law aren’t always the same thing," Buzz whispered. "I don’t think anyone here would object."

His double smiled. "You still wouldn’t do it. But if you want another reason, okay, I’ll give you one." He leaned forward. "I still have all those ships under my command. They’re waiting in orbit. The fleet that lost you the battle can be the fleet that wins you back the Galactic Alliance."

Buzz spun around. "You don’t care about the Galactic Alliance!" he hissed. "If you’re offering to help, you have some hidden agenda, and it won’t bode well for any of us!"

"Maybe I do. But can you afford to turn me down?"

Taking a deep breath, Buzz looked as if he wanted to argue, but he merely stared at the floor. Ozma could tell he was thinking it over. He was actually considering the man’s offer.

"Don’t do it," urged Booster. "Buzz, he’s going to doublecross us!"

"So what are you gonna do, save the galaxy all by yourselves?" snorted Savy, raising an eyebrow. "I’d like to see you try, fat boy."

Buzz looked up and glared at her. "I still don’t get how you fit into this, little missy."

"That’s _Savy_ , got it?"

"And that’s _Ranger_ _Booster Munchapper_ over there." Buzz sighed. "I thought I’d gotten you on the right track. You were doing well in the Junior Rangers..."

"Never bothered to check on me though, did you? I dropped out." She folded her arms. "Got better things to do with my time."

"Like joining up with a mass murderer and his gang of mercenaries?"

"Yeah, maybe."

"Can we get back to the main issue?" demanded the other Buzz. "My offer’s on the table. Take it or leave it, Lightyear."

Squinting, Buzz approached him and stared straight into his eyes. "What do you get out of it?"

"I get Zurg out of the way. Leave him to me—I have plans for him." His double smiled. "It’s a win-win deal for both of us. I get my revenge, and you get rid of Zurg without having to pull the trigger. Your conscience remains squeaky clean."

"That can’t be all you want."

"Okay, so it’s not. I’d like complete immunity for me and my friends, and that’s just for starters. But isn’t that a small price to pay for a universe without Zurg?" He leaned closer to Buzz, only a breath away from his face. "You’ll get your Galactic Alliance back. Things can go back to the way they were, Buzz. I’m offering you everything you want."

Ozma shivered. Something in his voice drove ice down her spine. She wanted to beg Buzz not to say yes, but she knew it wasn’t her decision to make.

"And what guarantee do I have that you won’t stab me in the back?" Buzz asked.

"None at all, Buzz, none at all."

Stroking his chin, Buzz glanced at Booster. "I’ll have to talk it over with my Rangers."

"You do that," said his double. "In the meantime, Savy and I will go back to the gang and let them know what’s happening."

"No. You both stay here."

The other Buzz rose. "If we don’t check in soon, they’ll come down here, guns blazing. I’m sure you don’t want that, do you, Lightyear?"

Buzz sighed. "Fine. You go, but Savy stays here."

"Whatever."

"What?!" Savy leaped to her feet. "No fair!"

"Come," said Ozma, leading Savy firmly towards the kitchen. "There’s still some food left. I’ll fix you dinner." The girl tried to protest, but she dragged her out the room.

* * *

His counterpart left, and Buzz gathered most of the Rangers into the bio-station, leaving a few on guard in the cruisers. It was a tight fit in the living area with so many people crammed inside, but they weren’t there to get comfortable.

"Okay people, you’ve all heard what my, uh, evil self is offering," he announced. "The question now is how we respond."

"You aren’t really thinking of teaming up with him, are you, Buzz?" gulped Booster.

He looked at his rookie sympathetically. "I’m afraid we have to at least consider it."

"Captain Lightyear’s right," said Kayuga. "We can’t do anything with five ships. This could be our only chance to stop Zurg!"

"You don’t know what that Buzz is like!" said Booster. "He’s _worse_ than Zurg!"

"He’s not the one holding the Galactic Alliance hostage!"

"Easy, people," Buzz hushed them. "Whatever we decide, I don’t want to take action until we’re all in agreement."

Booster looked at him with big, haunted eyes. "Buzz, he killed all those people out on the rim! You saw their bodies!"

Buzz nodded. "And I saw what he did to his own universe. Booster, I know what kind of person he is. But that’s not what this is about—sometimes you have to use an unpleasant tool for an unpleasant job."

"That’s what Zurg tried to do and look what happened! He doublecrossed him!"

"Zurg doesn’t know him like I know him. He’s _me_. I know how he thinks."

"He almost destroyed Star Command once!" A pleading note had entered Booster’s voice. "If you know him so well then you must’ve figured out what he’s planning to do, Buzz!"

"I know, Booster. I know."

Kayuga looked at him. "Which is what, exactly, sir?"

Buzz let out a deep breath. "He’s going to use us to help him get rid of Zurg, and then he’s going to take over the emperor’s whole operation, just like he did back in his universe. He’s not interested in restoring the Galactic Alliance, it’s all a ruse to gain control of the galaxy."

"Which is why we can’t side with him!" said Booster "Buzz, Zurg is bad, but the evil Buzz would be a million times worse if he was in charge! At least Zurg actually wants to rule—the evil Buzz only cares about blowing stuff up and making people suffer!"

Buzz couldn’t deny the validity of the point Booster was making. He reflected on the time before Zurg had won, which seemed so far away now. He would never have even considered working with his counterpart back then, even to stop Zurg. _But he’s right,_ thought Buzz. _It’s a different universe now. The game’s changed._

"I don’t see what choice we have," he said at last. "This is our best shot—the only shot we’ve gotten so far. I wish we had other options, but until now our cause has looked hopeless. We have to take this opportunity—we owe it to the citizens of the Galactic Alliance."

"But Buzz—"

"Besides," he continued, "I want my evil self where I can see him. If he’s working with us, he can’t be causing trouble anywhere else. He’s gonna make a play for galactic domination whether we join him or not, and I’d rather we were alongside to stop him when the time comes."

He looked around the room at the other Rangers. They all nodded. "We’re in if you are, sir," affirmed Kayuga.

Buzz turned to Booster. The rookie still looked unhappy, but he shrugged. "Well, okay, Buzz, I guess... I guess you have my vote too, but only ‘cause I don’t want to argue about it." Booster sighed. "I-I still don’t think this is a good idea. He killed all those people..."

"And we’ll make sure he never kills anyone again, Booster," said Buzz, patting his shoulder. "We’re gonna beat Zurg, we’re gonna free the Galactic Alliance, and we’re gonna put the bad Buzz behind bars too. We’re Space Rangers—it’s what we do."

* * *

The dessert tasted kind of icky, but Savy figured she just wasn’t used to fresh fruit. It wasn’t easy to come by on Trade World—most of the produce sold on the street was old and tasted like crap. She preferred a nice greasy burger herself.

"So, Savy SL2, is it?" the older woman was asking. She was pretty, Savy thought, wondering what the deal was with her and Buzz. She could tell there was something going on between them. "That’s an odd last name. Sounds almost like—"

"A robot?" Savy grinned. "My parents are bots. Adopted."

Ozma raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. I didn’t know robots could adopt organics. Of course, I don’t keep up with current events much, so..."

"Yeah, they can! On Trade World, anyway." _But not on most other planets in this stupid cosmos,_ Savy thought bitterly. _And they say_ Capital Planet _is the beacon of enlightenment._

"So, if you’ve got a family somewhere, what are you doing with this... this alternate Buzz?" Ozma asked.

Savy shrugged. "What are you doing with your Buzz?"

"Not the same things you’re doing with yours, I hope."

"Oh, please, give me some credit." She hopped onto the counter, dangling her legs over the edge. "I’ve got better stuff to do with my time."

"He doesn’t strike me as the sort who’d care what you thought."

Savy nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah, I know... I saw the creepy way he was looking at you back there, but look, it’s fine. He’s not like that with me. I’m... well, I guess I’m his protege, like he said."

Ozma studied her. "Is that really what you want? He seems unpleasant, and you look like a decent person."

"Do I? Guess I’m not trying hard enough." She scowled. "Listen, Miss Scientist or whatever it is you are, I’m _not_ decent, okay? I’m not nice, I’m not pleasant, and I’m definitely not _good_. Just ask your boyfriend. We hung out once and fought vampires together. He had a nice little robot sidekick then—what ever happened to him? Anyway, Buzz will tell you I’m street trash. Always have been, always will be. You don’t know me. I’m not some poor, unfortunate kid with a sad tale. I _like_ who I am. And Buzz—my Buzz—likes me too." She folded her arms. "He likes the _real_ me, not that fake me that the Rangers and people like you try to force on me. That’s why I’m hanging out with him, okay?"

The other woman smiled stiffly. "Basic survival instinct—emulating the strongest in the pack. You latch onto an authority figure because they bring you security." Her smile faded. "Not everything’s about survival, though, Savy. Tell me, are you happy?"

"Shut up." Savy dropped down from the counter and glanced around, hoping to change the subject. "Your home really sucks, by the way. Do you even have cable here?"

"Don’t watch it."

_Yeah, should’ve known an iso-nut who lives on Karn wouldn’t._ "You must get really bored."

"Not usually." Ozma shrugged. "I have my work, my books, my animals..."

"Like I thought. Boring. You should get a robot," said Savy. "A robot assistant or something. Man, there are so many abandoned robots out there. I used to try to find them work, back on Trade World, but it wasn’t easy."

"You really like robots, huh?"

She glared at her. "Robots have always been good to me. Organics haven’t. I know who my friends are."

A genuine smile seemed to blossom across Ozma’s face. "I think I understand you better than you would believe, Savy."

"I doubt it."

"Why do you think I surround myself with animals?"

"‘Cause no one else wants to be around you?"

"Well, there is that," laughed Ozma. "But I don’t want to be around people either. This is my home. I do good work here, and I enjoy the company. You always know where you stand with an animal—you’re either an enemy or you’re food. Or sometimes, if you’re very lucky, you can be a friend. But they don’t lie to you."

"I think I’ll stick to robots, thanks." Savy shrugged. She could see where the lady was coming from, but being eaten by a slobbering monster wasn’t high on her list of things to do.

Ozma was still looking at her. "You know, you never answered my question."

"Which question?"

"Are you happy tagging after this Buzz of yours?"

"What are you, a shrink? Is that what your doctorate’s in?" Savy snapped. "I don’t have to answer a single crater-fragging question you ask me. I’m only here right now because your boyfriend wants a hostage."

"You’re not a hostage."

"Oh yeah? Insurance then." She rolled her eyes. "But if he thinks the people I’m with actually care about me, he’s even stupider than he looks. I’m their technical support, nothing more."

Ozma raised an eyebrow. "What happened to being your Buzz’s protege?"

"Doesn’t mean he cares. I’m not dumb—I know he’s using me."

There were footsteps in the hall. Buzz—the Space Ranger, not her Buzz—entered. He was rubbing the back of his neck, shifting uncomfortably. Savy knew at once what he’d decided.

"Well?" asked Ozma.

"I just contacted, er, me. My other self. I’ve agreed to his proposal."

"Does this mean I can finally go now?" demanded Savy.

Buzz nodded. "He’s on his way back as we speak."

"Finally! I need a change of clothes. Sweet Venus, am I soaked! I hope my jacket’s not ruined forever. Do you know how much it cost? Black market duds don’t come cheap." _I can’t believe this actually worked,_ she thought as she babbled away. _He agreed—I could’ve sworn that straitlaced walking Ranger badge I met on Trade World would’ve died before he’d say yes to this. Maybe he’s changed._ She frowned. _Maybe we both have._


	49. Chapter 48

She didn’t remember ever feeling so alone, even when her father had forced her away from Romac when she was young. It was funny how that had seemed such a universe-ending event at the time, but now felt so trivial. Some of the hurt still lingered in her heart, but she was so far beyond broken romances now.

It had been two days since XL had been taken, and Mira found herself missing the way the two little robots pestered her and got underfoot. XR was staying out of her way now. There wasn’t any resentment between them over what had happened—neither had the energy for that. But something had shifted in their relationship. _We’re not on the same page anymore, if we ever were. He’s looking at how to keep the two of us safe, I’m looking at how to protect the whole galaxy._ It was lonely in her office without him.

_At least I’m getting more work done, I guess._ Mira sighed and straightened a stack of papers that sat before her. _I can see now why Commander Nebula hated his desk job so much._

The doors burst open and a little figure rushed into the room. It was Zurg’s Grub, One-Two. He held up a small communicator. "Governor!"

"What is it? Is—is something wrong?" _Gosh, what now?_

"We’ve just received a distress call from our forces on Rhizome! They’re under attack by Vulturan raiders!"

Mira slumped into her seat. _I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. All these ravaged planets—how could scavengers like the Vulturans resist?_ "Has Zurg given any orders?" she asked.

The Grub shook his head. "He said something about Rhizome being an unimportant mud hole and a terrible tourist destination for people with pollen allergies. He told me to get you to handle it."

_Oh, come on! He wants control of the galaxy but he makes me do all the work? Why didn’t he just stay on Planet Z?_ "Alright, fine," she sighed. "Do I have permission to send any of Zurg’s ships out?"

One-Two shrugged. "I’ll have to clear it with the evil emperor, but he’ll probably say yes to a small armada."

"Okay, send as many ships as he’ll allow out to Rhizome, and get on the line to Rocket and have him put one of our cruisers in charge of the fleet."

"As you command, Your Governorness!"

"And stop that," she growled. "I am not Zurg. You don’t need to do any bootlicking."

"Understood, O Intangible One!"

"Just get out and send off those orders, okay?" Mira rubbed her temples as the Grub left. _It never ends, does it?_

* * *

First cruiser trips together were always awkward, like first dates. _Not that I’ve had many of those in awhile,_ Ty thought ruefully. Being the captain on this trip made the whole thing even weirder—it was a new experience for him. But he was warming to the feeling.

Rusty and Nasreen were calm and professional, performing their jobs with ease. It was all routine to them now. Petra looked less sure of herself. She fumbled over the controls of the diagnostics console and kept asking for clarification when Ty gave her commands. That was fine, she was still learning. As long as they didn’t get into any trouble on their first few missions, she’d be okay. All she needed was a little confidence.

Ty remembered some of his first missions. No one would believe it now, but he’d been the class clown at the Academy. He was always ready with a witty remark that would set everyone laughing. He’d tried that act on some of his training missions, but the captain had put a stop to it immediately. The man was one of those hard-faced old-timers who’d been through the Raenok skirmishes, the Valkyran attacks, and a dozen other conflicts. A proper military man, one who’d gone over to the Rangers after they’d sprung up to replace the galactic patrollers. He wouldn’t tolerate people who didn’t take their work seriously. Ty remembered how small he’d felt as the seasoned officer shut him down in front of all his fellow cadets. _That won’t be me if Petra messes up,_ he thought. _It doesn’t hurt to show a little understanding._

Still, he had to admit, that old veteran had a point. You didn’t join the Rangers to have fun. He’d certainly learned his lesson on that mission, and no one could ever fault him again for not taking the job seriously. _I worked harder than anyone else in my class, except for Buzz, of course._ He wished his training captain had been there to see him graduate right behind Buzz and Warp, with the third highest marks in the class. It hadn’t worked out like that, though. _Shot down while arresting a drunk pilot,_ Ty remembered. _After everything he’d been through, too. It’s funny, the things that get you in the end..._ But life was like that. You never knew what it was going to throw at you. _Heck, just look what happened to the Galactic Alliance,_ he thought sadly. His personal life had been full of curve balls too—more than he liked to think about. _Right when you get comfortable, bam, it hits you._

"Sir," announced Rusty, "there’s a message coming in from Star Command."

"Star Command?" Ty’s brow creased. "We’re on our way back—what do they have to say that can’t wait till we get there?"

Rusty cupped a hand to the headset and listened. "It’s the Vulturans," he said. "They’re attacking Rhizome. Early reports indicate they’re trying to steal some of the vege-genetic technology, along with supplies and resources."

"Guess they think it’s easy pickings after what Zurg did to the planet, especially with only a minimal control force in place there." Ty sighed. "So what’s the word? Do we go stop them?"

Rusty nodded. "Zurg’s sending a squadron of ships to Rhizome and we’re to report there and lead them in battle."

Ty heard a tiny gasp from Petra. _She’s not ready for this_ , he thought, wishing he could drop her off at Star Command first. _But hey, who ever is?_

"Okay, let’s do this," he said, turning the ship around. "Nasreen, lay in a course to Rhizome."

* * *

It was the same nightmare all over again. He’d been plagued by flashbacks to that fateful day ever since the attack, and now it was happening again. Triffid forced himself to calm his breathing.

It had been thirteen days since Zurg conquered Rhizome—he’d found himself counting every sunrise and sunset. The injuries he’d sustained when his vine car had crashed were long gone now, thanks to the wonders of modern medicine. Even the leg he’d broken was good as new. But some things were harder to mend.

He looked at the empty table in the university lab, where Cyme used to work. Eager young Cyme, the brightest of his students. The boy was a genius really, and had been destined for great things. Triffid was going to take him under his wing and teach him everything he knew.

It wasn’t fair that a fading old plodder like him was still alive and that boy was gone. Far too many people had lost their lives in the attack, but as a man who kept to himself, Triffid hadn’t felt the pain of loss personally until he’d come out of hospital and his other students had told him what had happened to Cyme. Now it was all too personal.

_He was the closest thing I had to a son._ The professor sighed wistfully. Unfortunately, life had to go on without the boy and he’d begun teaching again as the planet stabilised. Fewer and fewer students were turning up, though. Some had families to take care of; others simply didn’t see the point in getting an education after their whole way of life had ended.

And always, always everyone could feel the constant presence of Zurg’s forces, whether you were walking in the street or listening to a news broadcast. That was enough to keep anyone home.

A Brain Pod and a party of Hornets had paid a call on him once. They’d simply shown up unannounced at the lab and proceeded to question him about his work. He’d tried to be evasive without seeming so. The last thing he wanted was Zurg getting his hands on vege-genetic technology. He believed he’d succeeded in brushing them off, but it was hard to be sure. He fully expected them to visit again in the future.

What he hadn’t been prepared for was the arrival of the Vulturans. When the first alerts sounded and he looked out the window to see the raptor-like ships descending on what remained of the city, his heart had almost stopped. _Not again! Dear me, not again!_

Rhizome had already weathered one attack. Could the cosmos really be so cruel as to put them through another?

The sounds of laser fire had set him to shaking. The noise grew closer and closer; there was no point in denying now that some of the ships were heading towards the university. _They’re here for my tech,_ he thought grimly. He could see Zurg’s forces trying to hold them off, but there simply weren’t enough Hornets.

_I suppose he thought he wouldn’t need many here. Not much chance of a Rhizomian uprising._ Triffid sometimes wondered if his race’s pacifist beliefs were really the high ground or a merely sign of cowardice. They certainly hadn’t helped when Zurg had struck.

* * *

The cruiser’s hyperdrive engines powered down as they approached the lush green planet of the Rhizomians. Nasreen reported seven Vulturan ships attacking the capital city. "One of them’s raided one of the main food processing centres," she informed Ty. "They’ve stolen half their supplies."

_Craters. Rhizome’s short on food already after what Zurg did to them._ Ty turned to Rusty. "ETA on Zurg’s squadron?"

"One minute, sir."

"Right. We’ll wait till they get here and then we go in on the offensive."

"Strategy, sir?" asked Nasreen.

He frowned in thought. "How many ships is Zurg sending us?"

"Five," said Rusty.

_Stingy fellow, Zurg._ "Okay, six against seven, I can take those odds. Maximum force—we wipe out as many of their ships as possible. No Mr. Nice Ranger today, folks. There are too many civilians at risk. We show them we mean business and hopefully that’ll scare them away pretty quick. They’re opportunists—they won’t be looking for a fight."

"Um, excuse me, sir," said Petra. "But, uh, how do we, like, make sure no civilians get caught in the crossfire?"

"We be careful," he answered. It was a legitimate question, though, and he wished he could promise no innocent people would get hurt. But conflict so close to the city was bound to leave a mark. _I just hope everyone had enough sense to seek shelter when the raid started._

Five ships dropped out of hyperdrive alongside them. They all bore the red-and-yellow seal of their emperor, and Ty couldn’t help feeling vaguely unsettled. _Easy, they’re on our side this time,_ he reminded himself. _Craters, that’s gonna take some getting used to._

"This is Captain Ty Parsec speaking," he announced over the comm. "I’ve been given command of this mission, so here’s how it’s gonna be..."

* * *

He would never have admitted it to his flockmates, but Vesk had been nervous about their latest target when he heard Zurg still had Hornets there. His raiding flock had always known better than to mess with the evil emperor, and it was doubly important to stay on his good side now that he controlled most of the galaxy.

But flock leader Lur had insisted it was too good an opportunity to pass up. The planet was at its most vulnerable, a perfect target for their next raid. Lur was confident they could pull it off without a hitch. Lur was always confident.

Vesk found his own confidence growing as the attack progressed perfectly. Some of his flockmates were blasting the Hornets to shrapnel while others made off with anything of value they could tractor into their cargo holds. Vesk had been tasked with breaking into the university and stealing the latest technology the Rhizomians were developing. They’d heard reports of its effectiveness and Lur wanted to test it out for himself.

A few Hornets tried to impede his progress, but Vesk made quick work of them. The autodefense cannons proved more of a challenge, and he found his piloting skills tested to the limit as he swerved and dove to avoid being hit. He thanked the great star for his ship’s maneuverability.

The university was in sight now, and he carefully targeted one of the outside walls. If his calculations were correct, he’d blow a hole right into the lab and then he could open his hold and tractor everything inside. If anyone tried to stop him... well, today would be their unlucky day.

He closed in, charging up the weapons and getting into position to fire. Almost there...

The sky above seemed to come alive with ships. Vesk hissed in horror as Zurg’s forces descended, led by a cruiser belonging to that hated order of galactic policemen, Star Command. They seemed to come out of nowhere and they pounced on the Vulturans with a ferocity that astounded him. His horror turned to outrage as he saw one of his flockmates go up in a fiery explosion that sent shockwaves rippling through the surrounding forest.

"Filthy scum," he spat, turning his weapons from the building to one of the enemy ships. A lucky shot knocked out their right engine, but the vessel had enough power to remain airborne. It danced a deadly dance with him, returning fire and dodging his blasts. Vesk studied its movements as he wove through a field of laser pulses, and his beak drew up in a smile. He could see its weakness—the lack of an engine had destabilised it, and he had worked out how far it veered to the left every time it moved. He flew in circles around the ship, drawing it nearer and nearer to the university. Transferring full power to the engines, he made a charge at the side of the building. The enemy ship followed, still firing on him. At the last second Vesk pulled up, swerving away from the wall. The other vessel tried to do the same, but leaned too far left in its maneuver and couldn’t avoid the wall. It smashed against it, flames roaring up and rubble flying in all directions. Brick and metal rained down while smoke plumed up, and a blackened hole now stretched across where there had once been a wall.

Vesk laughed. "That will teach you to take on the Vulturans!"

_BOOM!_

He was thrown against the front of the cockpit. Alarms went off all around him and he found himself staring out the viewport at an empty street that was growing larger and larger at a terrifying rate. _I’m falling! Falling? What happened?!_ His mind was reeling.

He tumbled around in the ship as it spiralled towards the ground. In one of its somersaults, he caught a glimpse of blue sky, and saw the hateful shape of a star cruiser sitting above him, as if gloating over its victory.

Cursing the Space Rangers one last time, he consigned himself to the great star and shut his eyes, never even feeling the impact.

* * *

Ty felt no pleasure as he watched the ship crash against the ground and explode. He glanced at Nasreen. She remained stoic as ever, though it had been her shot that had brought the enemy ship down. He wondered what she was thinking.

"Another raider on our tail!" reported Rusty. "They’re charging weapons!"

"Hang on tight, people!" Ty turned the cruiser around sharply, shoving down the throttle and blasting forward. The Vulturan seemed to have second thoughts and banked away, trying to evade the cruiser’s weapons.

Ty picked up his microphone, setting it to broadcast on all frequencies. "This is Space Ranger Ty Parsec," he announced. "Stop your raid and leave this planet immediately, and we’ll let you go unharmed. Continue fighting and we’ll have no choice but to take you all down. It’s up to you."

There was silence. He waited, watching the Vulturans. Relief flooded through him as they suddenly began to break away, grouping together and rising off through the sky.

"Let them go," he ordered Zurg’s ships. "We’ll keep our word."

When he was sure the Vulturans had left for good, he sent the remaining four ships to wait in orbit and turned the cruiser towards the nearest undamaged landing pad. _We did pretty good,_ he thought, bringing the cruiser down. _No reports of civilian casualties yet, though we’d better check at the university just in case._

When the cruiser had come to rest on the pad, he got up from his chair, gesturing to Petra to follow. "Hammerhold, you’ve been doing medic training, right?"

Petra nodded.

"Good. Grab a medkit and come with me. We’ve gotta make sure no one was hurt in that blast."

They exited the cruiser and hurried into the university building, passing many frightened Rhizomians cowering behind desks and anything else that offered shelter. Ty tried to smile reassuringly at them. "The situation has been dealt with," he kept repeating as they ran through the halls.

When they reached the room that had suffered the hit, Ty found himself coughing in plaster dust and smoke. Everything was in disarray—papers were blowing around the room, debris had been flung everywhere, and overturned tables spilled their contents across the floor. It was a clean-up crew’s nightmare.

"Hello? Anyone in here?" he called. "Anyone hurt?"

There was a cough from behind one of the tables. Ty and Petra rushed over.

"It’s alright, it’s alright," a dust-covered man assured them, accepting the hands they offered and pulling himself up. "I’m fine, really."

"I’ll be the judge of that, okay?" Petra said gently, leading him to a seat and looking him over. "Hmm, a few cuts and bruises, but nothing serious. I’ll just patch you up." She opened the kit.

"Thank you, young Ranger. I’m very grateful." He offered her a smile. "I’m Professor Triffid. This is—was—my lab."

Ty looked around. "Sorry about the damage," he sighed. "I wish we could’ve avoided all this."

"It could’ve been far worse." Triffid shrugged. "I’m just glad those Vulturans are gone."

Ty nodded. "I’ll see if I can get increased security around this planet. Hopefully we can stop this from happening again."

"Thank you." Triffid paused. "How much did they take? Food, I mean."

"A fair bit. Sorry. We came as soon as we could."

"Well... these things happen." Hauling himself up, Triffid shuffled over the messy floor and came to stop beside the gaping hole in the wall. "At least the city hasn’t suffered much damage. There are so many homeless already. But the food... our gardens aren’t providing nearly enough. They can sense the stress and misery around them, you know. It inhibits their growth."

Ty shifted uncomfortably. "I wish I could do more, really, but our resources are stretched to the limit already. A lot of planets are suffering shortages..."

"I know. I wasn’t asking for anything, I just... I wish there was something that could be done."

"This is all Zurg’s fault," muttered Petra. "He’s wrecked everything."

Triffid turned to her, smiling sadly. "I’m afraid you’re exactly right. Once... once I believed in forgiveness for everyone, you know. But now I’m not so sure. Bitterness is a hard thing to let go of once it sets in the soul."

"You have every right to hate him," said Ty. "Don’t feel bad for it." _Cosmos knows, I’m familiar with hate._ No matter how long he lived, he would never forgive NOS-4-A2 for what he’d done to him. 

"I’m not sure it’s healthy." Triffid sighed. "Sometimes I think that if Zurg were here right now, I might try to kill him with my bare hands. That’s not the kind of man I want to be."

"Look, I’m certainly not gonna say killing people is ever a good thing, ‘cause it’s not," said Ty. "But sometimes, with monsters like Zurg, letting them live is worse. Sometimes getting rid of them is the best thing for everyone."

"You sound as if you speak from personal experience."

"Maybe I do." _And it felt darn good killing that energy vampire._

Moving closer, Triffid patted his shoulder. "Then I’m sorry for you."

Ty shook his head. "Thanks, but I’ve done a lot of things I regret, and ridding the universe of a sick serial killer isn’t one of them."

"Perhaps not, but I have to believe—I have to try—that killing people isn’t a solution." The man sighed. "What are we without our principles?"

"Like animals, I guess." _And this time I really wish I didn’t speak from experience,_ he thought, remembering the Wirewolf.

The trio stared at the ground in awkward silence for awhile. "I guess we’d better get going, huh?" said Petra at last.

"Yeah, we’ve gotta report in to Star Command." Ty straightened. "Look, I’ll tell Governor Nova about your situation here, Professor. Maybe she can increase your food quota a little or something."

"We would appreciate that very much, Ranger," nodded Triffid. "Medical supplies and extra doctors wouldn’t go amiss either, but I know they’re stretched thin too." His mouth quivered. "It’s just that... a lot of people have died simply through lack of medical care. I-I lost a dear friend, a young student, recently. He was injured in the attack and infection set in..."

"I’m sorry." _Craters. It’s always worse when it’s kids._ Ty looked at Petra, still so young herself. _I love this job, but I’ve seen too many damn people die. Sometimes I wish it would just stop._ "I’ll see what I can do."

They left the university and climbed up into the cruiser. Rusty had already sent a report back to Star Command and Rocket had given orders for the ships to return. Ty was glad to leave the planet behind them; all he wanted now was a long, hot shower and a comfy mattress.

It would be awhile before he got his wish, though. First there was the debriefing at Star Command, and then he had to go to Capital Planet and fill Mira in as well. The Tangean listened in silence as he gave his report. When he got to the end, she thanked him for a job well done and seemed ready to conclude the meeting.

Ty paused, not ready to leave yet. "There’s, uh, something else," he said. "I promised this civilian I talked to that I’d ask about getting more food and medical supplies shipped there. They’re really struggling on Rhizome."

Mira looked at him with a blank face. There were dark bags under her eyes and she seemed to have aged several years in only a few days. "Everyone’s struggling. I’m giving them as much as we can spare."

"Yeah, I know, but—"

"People are starving right here on Capital Planet," she continued. "My first priority is to get them fed, and I can barely even manage that. I’d do more for the Rhizomians if I could, but I just can’t, okay?"

Ty sighed. "I understand. You should’ve seen this guy I met, though. Some old professor. He just seemed so... hopeless. Like he’d lost his faith in the universe."

"He’s not the only one." She suddenly frowned. "Professor? His—his name wasn’t Professor Triffid, was it?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"Kind of. I mean, you know, not _well_ , but, um, we met a couple of times. I-I just, you know..." She sighed. "I’m just tired of seeing people suffer. I can’t even protect my friends."

Ty nodded sympathetically. "You’ve got a lot on your shoulders, Ranger Nova, but you’re doing a good job. Buzz would be proud."

"Buzz would do better," she snorted. " _I_ should be doing better!"

"You’re doing your best."

"It’s not enough!" She slammed her fist on the desk. "H-how many people on Rhizome are dead, hmm? How many people in this—this whole stupid galaxy do you think are dead? All because of Zurg! And I... I can’t keep the rest alive! I’m trying so hard but I haven’t got a clue what I’m even doing!"

She seemed almost ready to cry. Ty wasn’t sure how to respond. He didn’t know her well enough to offer a hug, but he didn’t think words were enough.

"And—and I’m stuck doing it by myself!" she continued, her voice cracking. "Buzz is gone, Booster’s gone, and n-now XR and I are barely talking! I just hate it so much!" She dropped back into her chair. "I just want it to be over."

Leaning forward, Ty touched her arm gently. "Hey, chin up. We’ll get through this. This isn’t permanent, okay? Much as I hate to say it, sometimes Buzz knows what he’s talking about, and he’s right when he says evil never wins. Sure, evil may win the battle sometimes, but it never wins the war. Trust me, I know. We’re gonna beat this."

Her eyes were dull, no spark of hope in them. "How?"

"I don’t know. But we will."

Mira sniffed. "Maybe... I dunno. Maybe I’ll think of something."

"You will. And when you do, it’s gonna be brilliant."

"I wish," she sighed. "Tangean brains aren’t quite all my people make them out to be."

Ty smiled. "Hey, speaking of Tangeans, you should call your father. That might cheer you up."

"Maybe later."

"You haven’t spoken to him since before the Alliance fell, have you?"

"No," she admitted. "I... it’s just... it’s hard, y’know? I don’t know what to say to him."

"Tell him that you love him."

"I guess I should." Mira shrgged. "I’ll do it tonight."

Nodding, Ty turned to go.

"Thanks," she called after him.

"No problem." He walked out, eager to get back to Star Command and curl up in his bunk. He felt exhausted.


	50. Chapter 49

Booster stood on the steps leading up to the bio-station, watching as the ships descended. The rain was still pouring and the sky was almost black enough to be night. The river had flooded earlier that morning and now the jungle floor was covered in several inches of muddy water, which Buzz was sloshing through to get to the end of the clearing where the ships were going to land. Not all of them were coming down; there wasn’t room and Ozma hadn’t seemed keen on the idea of so many vessels invading her jungle. Most of them would remain in orbit, with just a few landing on Karn so the lead mercenaries could talk strategy with Buzz.

Personally, Booster would’ve been happier if none of them had come at all. He hated seeing the evil Buzz strolling about the place with that arrogant swagger of his. He hated catching a glimpse of that sick smile. All he could think of when he looked at him were the rows of bodies in 42's hold, the people he and Mira had found on the derelict freighter. Those memories would never stop haunting him.

The ships began splashing down, sending ripples rolling through the water. Booster sighed. It was time.

He joined Buzz beside the ships and watched as assorted thugs began emerging. Every one of them belonged in a Star Command jail cell, not alongside the Space Rangers as allies. It just wasn’t right.

His mouth fell open when he saw a familiar face.

"Torque!" Buzz called out, spotting the alien criminal as well.

"Buzzy, sweetheart!" Torque grinned back at him. "Long time no see, hey, pally?"

"I should’ve known you’d be in with this lot." Folding his arms, Buzz looked the man up and down. "I thought you were in prison."

Torque marched over and slapped him on the back, earning a dark glare. "Aw, c’mon, Buzzola! You know how it is. A few bars can never keep ol’ Torquey down."

"The first thing I’m going to do once we’ve kicked Zurg out is institute higher security standards at PC-7," Buzz muttered. "Okay, all of you—spread ‘em against the hull while my Rangers search you for weapons. And I mean all four of your arms, Torque."

"Aw, I thought we was all friends here, baby," said Torque, reluctantly following his orders.

"Allies. Not friends."

The other Buzz strode over. "You’ll have to forgive my manners," he told Torque. "I never was good at making friends, was I, Buzz?"

"Buzz has plenty of friends," said Booster, moving closer to his captain. "Maybe _you_ don’t, but he does!"

The evil Buzz chuckled. "Yeah. Sure. One oversized rookie and a bitchy zoologist. Quite a fan club you’re building up there, Lightyear."

"There’s Mira and XR too, and a bunch of other people!" insisted Booster. "All the other Rangers respect him! Hundreds of people look up to him!"

"Uh, thank you, Booster, but you don’t need to defend me to him," said Buzz, patting Booster’s arm. "He just spiteful and lonely."

His double rolled his eyes. "Lonely, huh? I like it this way. I’ve always preferred my own company—well," he grinned, "at least until I met you, Buzz. Now I’m not so sure."

"Was that a compliment or an insult?"

"What do you think, Lightyear?"

Buzz sighed. "Just follow me into the dome, all of you."

They waded through the mud and water, which Booster noted in dismay was ruining the brilliant white of his uniform. He’d probably need a new one after everything was over and things were back to normal. _If they_ ever _go back to normal,_ he thought.

The rain continued to pour down, torrents of it spilling over the sides of the bio-station. Ozma was waiting for them inside. "Wipe your feet on the mat," she told them. "I have enough muddy bootprints on my floors already. This is supposed to be a sterile environment for conducting research."

"Sorry," Buzz shrugged. He led a long procession of Rangers and mercenaries into the base. There was barely any breathing room when they were all inside.

"Nice pad." Torque looked around scornfully, trying to shove aside some of the people crowding him.

"If you don’t like it, we can hold this conference outside in the rain," warned Buzz. "Okay, everyone here? Good."

Booster shuffled through the mass of bodies till he was standing next to Buzz. He kept a wary eye on the other Buzz, who had Savy at his side.

"If we’re going to stop Zurg, we need a plan," Buzz continued. "I’ll be frank—you people are not the allies I would’ve chosen. But fate has forced us together, so we’re gonna have to rely on each other. I open to suggestions from all parties. If you have any ideas, now’s the time to lay them on the table."

"We take out Zurg, that’s the primary objective," said the evil Buzz.

"Agreed. Without him, his forces will be directionless and weak. Many of them have lived their entire lives under tyranny—they’ll accept orders from whoever they think holds power over them. If we can oust Zurg, they’ll see us as their new authority figures and stand down when we give the order."

"But, Buzz," Booster broke in, "how do we get to Zurg? He’s not going to let us just walk up to him!"

The other Buzz nodded, stroking his beard. "It won’t be easy. He’s centred his whole fleet around Capital Planet, and he’ll have changed the defense codes by now, so we won’t be able to slip in undetected. He’s careful, I’ll give the purple guy that."

"Seems to me," said Torque, "we need to hit him when he goes offworld. He’s gotta leave the planet eventually, and when he does—showtime, Jack!"

"Hmm, you may have something there," mused Buzz. "He wouldn’t travel alone, though—his fleet goes wherever he does. We’d still be looking at a major battle."

The other Buzz grinned. "That’s why you have us."

Booster glared at him. "Huh, sure, as if your ships are going to be enough to take on Zurg’s whole armada!"

"Don’t forget, his fleet suffered heavy losses during the last battle," said the evil Buzz. "He’s not operating at full strength anymore. Besides, we’ll have you Rangers along as well."

Buzz nodded. "We don’t necessarily need to subdue the whole fleet—just keep them occupied while we get to Zurg. I think we should have enough ships for that."

"First you’re going to need a way of knowing Zurg’s movements so you’ll be ready if he leaves," pointed out Ozma. "It’s not like he’s following a regular schedule—he seems to be staying put on Capital Planet for the moment."

"Oh, we’ll know when the time comes," said Savy with a grin. "Guess who’s hooked up to Zurg’s secure subspace channel?"

Booster and Buzz stared at her in surprise. " _You’ve_ hacked into Zurg’s communications network?" Booster asked.

"Pretty handy, isn’t she?" The other Buzz ruffled Savy’s hair.

"You really should’ve stayed in the Junior Rangers," sighed Buzz, shaking his head. "You’ve got a lot of talent that ought to be put to use in a more just cause."

"What do you think I’m doing now, Mr. Justice?" Savy crossed her arms. "I’m gonna help you retake your Alliance, aren’t I?"

Buzz shrugged. "Look, you keep monitoring that channel. If you learn anything, let me know. In the meantime, we need to learn to work together. Let’s talk tactics—what’s the most efficient way to utilise our combined forces?"

* * *

XR was watching the holovision set when Mira entered the apartment. He sat on the couch, a bowl of popcorn at his side, though it hadn’t been touched, which didn’t surprise her because XR was incapable of consuming food. She wondered why he bothered to make it. There were a lot of things about him she didn’t understand. Maybe he’d been hoping she would join him.

"Hey," she greeted blandly.

"Hi." He continued to stare at the screen.

Mira hung up her coat. "Anything good on?"

"No."

"What are you watching?"

"Evil Bowling. It’s a new show, just started yesterday."

Mira sighed. "Let me guess, Zurg’s doing?"

XR nodded. "Followed by Evil Knitting, Evil Cooking, and Evil Scrapbooking."

"Please tell me this isn’t some ‘All Evil All the Time’ channel?" _How do you even_ have _evil scrapbooking?_

"Close enough."

She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I think Zurg tries too hard."

XR glanced up at her for the first time, his expression morose. "Doesn’t need all this evil stuff, does he? He’s already shown us how awful he is."

"Yeah." She used to laugh at Zurg’s ridiculous attempts to prove his own villainy. It wasn’t funny now that the proof was all around them.

XR turned back to the screen, which showed contestants bowling using some very distressed-looking Grubs as skittles, and Mira went to the bathroom to shower. When she emerged, clad in her comfy pink robe and fluffy slippers (ordinary slippers, not bunnies like the ones she’d seen Buzz wear—a line had to be drawn somewhere in the name of good taste), she padded into the kitchen and helped herself to a tub of ice cream. It was another hot summer night, and the shower had left her feeling a little too toasty.

She retired to her room and flopped on the bed, spooning the soft dessert into her mouth and relishing the chills it sent down her spine. It was still early evening—for once she’d finished her work at a decent time and been able to leave that stifling office before nightfall—but she already felt like curling up beneath the covers. Maybe if things were different she would’ve hung out with XR in the living room for awhile, but as matters stood, their conversations would just be awkward.

_I need sleep anyway,_ she thought. _I’m so... so tired._ She remembered what Ty had told her about Rhizome. It was the same thing she was hearing from the Rhizomian ambassador and half the other ambassadors in the Senate. Nearly every planet Zurg had touched was struggling in some way. _I wish the responsibility wasn’t all on me. What do I know? I’m just a stupid princess who didn’t even finish her palace training!_

Ty’s suggestion to call her father came back to her. _I guess I should... I miss him so much._ What could she say to him, though? She didn’t want to face him. Part of her was still ashamed of what she was doing. Even if she’d only accepted the position so she could help people, it was hard not to feel like she’d sold out by becoming Zurg’s second-in-command. What would her father think of her?

_Only one way to find out._ Smoothing a hand over her wet hair to make herself look vaguely presentable, she turned on the vidscreen on her wall. The monitor flashed to life, and she inputted the palace call frequency. After a moment’s waiting, she saw King Nova’s face appear. Her breathing stopped as she took in every familiar hair and wrinkle, belonging to a man who’d once been the biggest source of frustration in her life and yet was now such a welcome sight. "Daddy!"

His features lit up with a smile when he saw who was on the line. "Mira! Daughter, why haven’t you called? I’ve been trying to get through to you for days, but the Senate line is always busy!"

"Well, there’s your answer right there, Dad," she sighed. "My life’s been total chaos since Zurg took over. I never seem to get a spare moment these days."

"I understand." He gazed at her silently for awhile. "But I have missed you."

"I’ve missed you too, Father." She pressed a hand to the screen, as if she could reach out and touch him. "Oh, gosh, I just wish I could be back at the palace with you so much!" _I’m not going to cry, I won’t cry._..

He seemed to sense her distress and she could see her pain mirrored in his face. "Say the word, child, and I’ll come there myself and pick you up. Zurg can bring his complaints to me if he doesn’t like it."

"Oh, Daddy," she half giggled, half sobbed. "I—I wish I could, but... I just can’t. My work here is too important."

He let out a deep breath. "I suppose you’re right. But I know what a great burden leadership is, Mira, and I only rule one planet. You’re so young to have so much on your shoulders. Don’t let it wear you to death."

"I’ll try not to." She forced her features into a shaky smile. "So, uh, how’s everything on Tangea?"

Her father rubbed his chin for awhile before answering. "Life is... interesting at the moment," he said, though he clearly had other adjectives in mind. "Zurg’s overseers are making a nuisance of themselves at every turn, and not all of the refugees have returned to Trade World. Some prefer to remain here with the galactic situation still so unstable." He wrinkled his nose.

Mira’s smile was now genuine. "You haven’t thrown them out, though."

"I shudder to think what my daughter, the galactic governor, would do to me if I did. She might have me thrown in one of Zurg’s dungeons for all I know."

"Oh, Father, shush," Mira laughed. "You know I’m  not that petty!"

"Says the girl who broke a priceless vase that had been in our family for generations when I wouldn’t let her have a pet."

"I was four years old!"

"And the vase was four _hundred_ years old." Creases appeared at the corners of his eyes as he smiled. "Perhaps I should’ve let you have that pet..."

Mira smiled with him, then grew more serious. "Maybe I shouldn’t have been such a brat. There are a lot of things we should and shouldn’t have done back then, and I wish we could do it over. I wish I’d spent more time with you..." She sighed. "But we can’t change any of it, so what matters is what we do now."

He nodded. "That’s something I’ve realised too, though it took long enough. I’m glad I’m not quite the stubborn fool I used to be, Mira. You’ve taught me a lot—I’ve learned to view the universe in ways I never thought I could, thanks to you."

"All the best parts of me come from you too, you know," she said. "My strength, my determination—that’s all you, Father."

"Not all of it," he replied, shaking his head. "You have that same spark your mother did. She’d be very proud to see you now."

"Are... are you proud of me?"

"My daughter, there’s never been a moment when I _haven’t_ been proud of you, and I grow more proud every day."

She breathed out a long sigh. "Thanks, Dad." _I wish I deserved it._

He looked at her as though he longed to take her into his arms like he used to when she was a child. "Is there anything you need, Mira? I don’t know how much I can do for you, but if there is anything..."

"I dunno. I mean, I guess..." She sighed. "I wish you could do this job for me, but the royal court wouldn’t like that, huh?" They shared a laugh. "What I really wish," she continued, pausing for a moment to wonder if her personal vidcomm was bugged, and then deciding she didn’t care, "is that I had a solution to this whole mess. Father, if you ever... if you can come up with any way of stopping Zurg, please tell me. Yeah, I know, I know, that’s not your area of expertise. It’s s-supposed to be _mine_ , I mean, I’m... you know, I’m a Space Ranger... but I just don’t know what to do anymore." She frowned. "But I do know that Zurg needs to go. We can’t deal with this any longer. Something has to be done."

"Isn’t there anyone you can turn to?" asked her father. "What happened to your talking monk— to Buzz Lightyear?"

She shrugged. "He could be on the other side of the galaxy for all I know. He’s out there somewhere, a-a-and I know he’s going to come and help us eventually, but right now he’s not here and I need to do _something._ "

There was a long moment of silence. King Nova stroked his sideburns thoughtfully. At last he answered, "I can’t advise you in this, Mira. I’ve stayed out of galactic politics too long to have any idea how to meddle in them now. But I do know that whatever choice you make, it will be the right one."

She wished she could feel so confident. "Yeah?" she said. "Like my decision to join Star Command? I know what you thought about that..."

"You weren’t the one who was wrong then, Mira," he said quietly. "You’ve always made the right choices."

He really meant it. Mira wanted to cry all over again. "Thanks, Father. Thanks for listening. Maybe you don’t know how to help the galaxy, but you sure know how to help me." She glanced at the clock. "I suppose I should probably go now... better get some sleep." She shrugged and blew a kiss to him. "I love you. I’ll talk to you again soon, okay?"

"Please do. Goodbye, child, and keep safe."

When the screen went dead, Mira flopped down onto her pillow, staring up at the ceiling. _So what_ do _I do?_ _Who do I turn to?_ Practically the whole galaxy was under Zurg’s control. Who would be in a position to help her?

She sniffed in frustration and picked up her bowl of ice cream again, clutching it like it was all she had left in the universe.

* * *

Buzz had to take a breather. They’d been arguing in that stuffy, overcrowded room for too long, and being around so many wanted felons set him on edge. Scratch that, it wasn’t simply being around them that was the problem, it was knowing he had to work with them. Unless a better option came along, they were going to be his comrades in arms when he took down Zurg. He just couldn’t get comfortable with the idea.

Sitting alone on Ozma’s doorstep, he found some measure of peace. The rain continued to drain from the sky like the clouds were giant sponges being wrung out, but with his Ranger suit to protect him it wasn’t unpleasant. He could almost get used to a life on Karn, just him and Ozma...

Almost, but not quite. There was a galaxy out there for him to protect, and he could never rest until it was safe. Karn would have to wait until his retirement years, and even then, he wasn’t sure he was the retiring type. The version of himself who’d come back in time to save Mira was certainly still serving in the Corps a hundred years into the future—though that timeline was now defunct, thanks to the changes he’d made. There was no telling what his new future would be.

Visions of his team lying dead flashed before his eyes. _No! Not that! Whatever the future is, I won’t let it be that one!_

He shook away the images. Perhaps the future had already been changed. Maybe allying himself with his alternate self was the kick the timeline needed to switch into something better. He wished he could look into the device again and see what it would show him now.

The rain continued to splatter down on his helmet. It streamed across the glass, turning the view into a smeary blur of green. The sky above was still dark, but enough light filtered through to make the bio-station’s floodlights unnecessary. All in all, while hardly serene, it was a refreshingly solitary setting. If he could just keep these pesky worries out his head, he might be even be able to enjoy it.

A sound suddenly caught his attention. The roar of the wind and the constant rainfall drowned out most noises, but he could’ve sworn he’d heard something splashing through the flooded jungle floor.

His senses now alert and tingly, Buzz got to his feet and wiped the rain from his helmet. When he looked around he saw nothing, but he thought he heard more sloshing. _Could be some kind of animal. There’s gotta be creatures on Karn that like the rain. Knowing my luck, all the really mean ones probably come out in wet weather and now they’re looking for lunch._

He considered going back inside, but his curiosity had been aroused. A dangerous thing, curiosity. He hoped it wouldn’t get him into too much trouble this time. Keeping one hand firmly on the trigger of his laser, he stepped forward in the direction of the splashing.

As he got closer—the noise seemed to be coming from somewhere just outside the clearing, in some of the surrounding undergrowth—he thought he heard another sound. Voices, he realised. Just a hint, not enough to make out what they were saying, but definitely voices. He wished the rain would die down long enough for him to hear better.

"Hello?" he called into the trees. "Is anyone out there?" _I guess it could be poachers, but they wouldn’t go out in this weather, would they? It’s gotta be more of my evil counterpart’s goons. If he’s up to something..._

The bushes in front of him rustled. Buzz held up his arm, ready to fire if necessary. Two figures emerged, glistening as the rain slid down them. They stopped short when they saw Buzz. He dropped his arm as his eyes fell on them, and he wondered if he could trust what he was seeing through the smudged visor of his helmet.

"Well, Lightyear, nice of you to come out and greet us, son," grunted Commander Nebula. "Hope you don’t mind if we skip the pleasantries and head straight on to your base—it’s a bit damp out here."

"C-Commander...?" Buzz spluttered. "Sir." He straightened and saluted. "Right this way." As he led them back to the bio-station, Buzz felt his heart pounding and his mind reeling. _All the reports we heard... they said he was dead..._ When he’d gotten the news, he’d tried to blot it from his mind. He simply couldn’t handle the thought of his commander dying. It was impossible, unthinkable. But slowly the fact had seeped through into his brain and he’d accepted it, though he still hadn’t allowed himself time to grieve. Now, suddenly, the man whose death he was just beginning to get used to had appeared right in front of him, in perfect health.

He glanced at the commander’s companion. This unidentified individual was clad in black battle armour and a helmet that concealed their face completely, leaving no hints as to who are what they might be. It automatically set suspicions simmering in his brain. He didn’t like not knowing things and he didn’t like people who had something to hide.

When they tramped into the base, the conversation that was still carrying on in the crowded room died away and every head turned to stare at them. Buzz felt a small twinge of satisfaction as he watched even his double’s face fill with surprise at the newcomers. None of them had been expecting this.

Booster’s eyes grew wide when he caught sight of the commander and he let out an audible gasp. "Commander? Commander Nebula?"

"Look sharp, rookie!" Nebula grinned.

Booster stood to attention, grinning back. "You’re alive! Gee, I should’ve known they couldn’t kill you, _the_ Commander Nebula!"

"You got that right," said the commander with a nod. "Okay, what’s going on around here? What’s up with all the crooks and space scum you got in this room? Debriefing—now!"

Buzz’s double strode over, his surprise forgotten. "Shouldn’t you tell us why exactly you aren’t dead first, grandpa?"

Nebula met his cold gaze with a look of blazing contempt. "I was about to say the same to you. Here I was resting easy, thinking you’d burned up in that sun, ‘cause that’s what garbage like you deserves. But I guess not."

There was a moment of silence as Buzz’s double studied him, a smile forming on his face. "You know," he whispered, "I remember how much fun I had thinking up ways to kill you back in my universe. Never got around to using them, but maybe this time I’ll get my chance."

Buzz stepped in quickly. "Enough! You lay a hand on my commander and you’ll never see that hand again, is that clear?"

"I love it when you get dangerous. Reminds me of myself." The other Buzz was still smirking. "Alright, I’ll leave your precious commander alone. The old geezer’s probably on his last legs—or should I say _leg_ —anyway."

"I heard that," Nebula snorted. "I could still take you any day, you bearded freak."

"I am sure all this posturing is very satisfying to you three, but it is not why we came here," said his suited companion, speaking for the first time.

Buzz decided the person was probably female, though he wouldn’t stake his life on it. A heavily filtered voice was hardly the best way to pin down gender. He nodded to her. "Let’s get down to the details here. Before I explain our situation, I’d like to know who you are."

"This is Xlgta," said Nebula. "She’s with me. Well—er, I’m with her. Not entirely by choice, I gotta add. It’s complicated."

"Whatcha look like under the suit, helmet-face?" asked Torque. "You some kind of ugly freakazoid?"

"I might be," she answered curtly.

Nebula looked around the room, eyeing Torque with distaste. "So what are these... _people..._ doing here?" he asked again.

Buzz rubbed his neck. "It’s not really a matter of choice for us either. They’re... they’re here to help."

"What?! What in blue blazes, Lightyear? Has your reactor blown a fusion crystal? You know who these people are, don’t you?"

"Of course I do, Commander—"

"After all, I should know myself well enough by now," his double broke in.

Buzz glared at him. "Er, yes. Like I was saying, it’s not something we have much choice in. Zurg’s got control of the galaxy and we’re out of options. He has to be stopped somehow."

"Not with them." Nebula didn’t hide his disgust as he surveyed the occupants of the room. "Buzz, you can do better than this!"

"I’m open to suggestions." Shrugging, Buzz glanced again at Nebula’s companion. "Maybe you could tell me your story now. Who is this Xlgta—is she any better than my allies?"

"Huh, well, I’m not sure I’d go that far," Nebula snorted. "Okay, maybe I would—I think she’s alright. Her heart or whatever equivalent organ she has is in the right place, but she’s a bit misguided..."

Xlgta folded her arms. "Commander," she hissed, "remember which of us is in charge here."

"And she’s a real pain in the backside, as you can see," continued Nebula to Buzz. "She saved my life, though. Back there in the battle, when I was about to die, she got me out."

Buzz turned to the Xlgta. "Then you have my thanks."

"I certainly didn’t do it for you," she replied, stepping closer to him. "So you are the great Buzz Lightyear I have been hearing about? I understand the galaxy used to ring with your name, yet here you are, hiding like a frightened salt rat."

_And who are you to come here and insult me?_ he almost demanded. "Zurg wants me dead. What am I supposed to do, give him the chance to kill me?"

She shrugged. "It was simply an observation."

"Look, who _are_ you, ma’am?" he asked again. "So your name is Xlgta and you saved my commander. That doesn’t tell me much. Where are you from?"

"Far away. And my name is not Xlgta, that is my title."

"Don’t expect to get a straight answer out of her," Nebula whispered. "It’s taken me a _week_ to get her to spit out all the details."

"Then you tell me who she is."

"He will not," said Xlgta firmly.

Buzz frowned at her and turned to the commander. To his surprise, Nebula was shaking his head. "I promised not to say anything she doesn’t want me to say," he told Buzz.

"What? Why? What hold does she have over you?"

Nebula shrugged. "I owe her one. I may not agree with her on everything, but I figure I should try to help her a little anyway. The least I can do, after what I... well, like I said, I owe her."

There they were, his Ranger senses tingling again. Buzz knew something was going on. Xlgta had some reason for hiding her face and keeping her background secret. Somehow she was forcing the commander to go along with it. _There’s something screwy happening here and I won’t stand for it._ "Alright, fine," he said, deciding to not to press the issue until he could find out more. "So what happens now? How did you even find us?"

"We followed their ships." Nebula jerked a thumb towards the mercenaries. "Detected ‘em as they were heading this way and decided to check it out."

"The real question," said Xlgta, "is how did _they_ find you if your location is supposed to be so secret?"

"Same thing," the evil Buzz answered casually. "We saw Buzz’s cruiser when he was coming back to Karn and followed him."

_And here I thought I’d been so careful to shake off any tails on the way back from Planet X._ Buzz sighed. "Well, as long as Zurg didn’t follow any of you here, it doesn’t matter. What we have to focus on now is our next move. Commander, we’ve been discussing strategy—got any suggestions?"

"You bet I do." Nebula strode forward, his arms folded across his chest. "First, you send all these rejects packing! That’s right, every last sorry one of ‘em! We’re Space Rangers, Buzz—we don’t join forces with the enemy!"

"They’re not the enemy right now, Zurg is!" Buzz protested. "Whatever happened to, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’?"

"Whatever happened to the Lightyear I know, who wouldn’t even lower himself to spit on garbage like this, hmm? What happened to him?"

Buzz took a deep breath. "With all due respect, you don’t know what it’s been like, sir. We watched Zurg bomb Capital Planet. We watched the Galactic Alliance fall. We’ve been running for our lives and hiding out here with _nothing._ People continue to die thanks to the way Zurg’s wrecked the galaxy. For awhile, I even thought two of my own rookies were dead—I thought _you_ were dead! What do you expect me to do when help finally comes along?"

"I expect you to still be a Ranger."

Anger flared up inside Buzz. "I am a Ranger, sir! That’s why I’m doing this! Our job is to help people, and if working with this gang of evildoers is the only way to do that, then I’ll take it. I may not like it, but I swore an oath to protect and defend!"

He heard a chuckle from behind him, where his double stood. "Oh, Buzz. Evildoers? Oaths? Always loved the melodrama, didn’t I?" The other Buzz turned to Nebula. "What he— what _I’m_ trying to say here is it’s time to forget about your pathetic little standards and do what has to be done. You want to kill Zurg, don’t you?"

Buzz was surprised to see a strange expression cross over the commander’s face. Nebula glanced back at Xlgta, and he tugged at his moustache. "Who said anything about killing Zurg?"

"Oh, come on, it’s what you all want!" The other Buzz threw his hands in the air. "Don’t play the good Ranger game with me! You don’t want to ‘bring him to justice’ or any shit like that. You want him dead just as much as I do after everything he did!"

"No," whispered Xlgta harshly. "Zurg will not be killed."

"Nobody asked you, lady."

Buzz frowned at Xlgta. "What’s your stake in all this? Why should you care what happens to Zurg?"

"My reasons are my own."

"And what’s that supposed to mean?"

She tilted her head. "It means I am not about to tell them to you."

" _Guys_ ," Booster’s voice rose up. "Can we all stop arguing? Please? Commander Nebula is alive—isn’t that great? We shouldn’t be fighting with each other right now!"

Buzz let out a breath and allowed himself to relax. "Booster’s right. We should be celebrating. Look, Commander, I’m sorry if I got a bit carried away there. It really is good to see you, sir, and you know you’ll always have my respect and loyalty."

Nebula nodded. "Same here, son. We can hash this out later. Why don’t we just do some catching up for awhile? I wanna know how you’re all dealing with this." He leaned closer. "And what’s the word on XR—and Nova?"

Smiling, Buzz began to fill him in.


	51. Chapter 50

Zurg sat on the sofa in his hotel room, one leg neatly crossed over the other and his robes folded perfectly around him. The very image of evil dignity, he thought to himself. He never flopped down or stretched out like Warp always did. Zurg remembered one particular occasion when he’d been talking to the man over the vidphone, with Warp laying on a sofa eating a bowl of popcorn, and the oaf had actually had the audacity to belch in his presence! There was simply no excuse for bad manners like that. One of these days he was going to force Warp to take an etiquette course...

_Except you can’t, because he’s not here._

Zurg pushed away that thought and picked up the remote, switching on the TV. He decided he’d finally tune in to some of the new shows he’d commissioned. A rerun of the previous night’s Evil Bowling was on and he leaned back, a chortle escaping his mouth as he watched a group of quivering Grubs get bowled over. Now this was quality entertainment.

As the minutes ticked by, however, he found himself shifting and growing listless. Grub after Grub got knocked over, each one letting out an identical squeal. Finally he changed the channel.

"Good morning! I’m Brent Starkisser, coming to you LIVE from—"

Click.

"...and then you add three eggs and a cup of—"

Click.

"Greens and white are definitely out this year, with purple being the latest trend in—"

Click.

"But Monica, you said you loved me..."

Ooh, this looked good. He always loved a nice soap.

"...but now you’re telling me Phloomar, your old Phlegmian flame, is the father instead of me?"

Okay, maybe not.

Click.

"Get down to Honest Dave’s Discount Shuttles and order your very own—"

"Oh, for the love of evil!" Zurg turned off the set in disgust. "All these channels and never anything good on!" He used to enjoy evil bowling and once would’ve gladly sat through a fashion show. Suddenly they seemed to have lost their appeal.

"I’m booored," he announced, though there was no one around to hear him. He leaped up from his chair and stalked around the room, hands clasped behind his back. "What to do, what to do?"

He could drop in on the day’s Senate meeting and scare a few senators, maybe even take over from Nova for awhile and do some of the decision-making himself. He’d always enjoyed ruling Planet Z, after all, and he missed that feeling of power.

The details of the Galactic Alliance’s day-to-day operation interested him little, however. Perhaps it would be best just to leave it all to Nova. He sighed and hummed to himself as he tried to come up with another idea.

He could lead the fleet on an excursion into non-Alliance territory and take over a few more planets. It might be fun—he did love watching things go boom.

_A bit risky, though. I’m still rebuilding my fleet after the last battle._

He could check on XL and see how his work was progressing. Maybe the robot had made some kind of breakthrough.

_Except he would’ve called me if he had._

Zurg ran a claw down one of the walls, leaving a trail of scratches in the paintwork. "There must be _something_ to do around here!" _Why is Capital Planet so blasted_ boring _?_

If he was honest with himself, he already knew the two things he wanted. Planet Z and Buzz Lightyear. Since capturing the Space Ranger (and his counterpart) wasn’t looking very promising just then, he turned his attention to the first item. He longed for his planet’s grim surroundings. Oh, to be inside his cold palace again and to see the stormy red sky above! It was funny how the place had come to be home to him—perhaps the first place that ever truly had. Nowhere he’d ever lived before had been worthy of the title.

_Except maybe for the old palace,_ he thought, faint memories springing to mind. _Before the war..._

But he’d been so young when he’d lost all that, and everything since had merely been a place to live, not somewhere he actually _belonged_ , until he found that wonderful red planet of his. Even his native world no longer sprang to mind as home. Planet Z—or Xrgthung as he’d first named it—was where he felt most content. Nothing else would do. _Though,_ he thought, _I can’t wait to get back to my old world._

He needed XL to hurry up and open that rift. Maybe then his listlessness would pass away. A whole universe would be open to his conquest—nothing would be impossible! He would be the new Natron, reigning supreme over all!

And he knew exactly which planet he would start with.

_They thought they could best me. Even the Xlgta thought she could suppress me. I’ll show them how wrong they were. They’ll learn to regret the day they angered the Evil Emperor Zurg!_

Perhaps he’d have been there already, taking his rightful place on the throne and putting them all through exquisitely painful tortures, if he’d just gotten those coordinates from the Xlgta when he’d had the chance. When she arranged to meet him on Sentilla VI, he’d gone there expressly to force her to tell him where the trans-spacial warp she’d come through was. All he’d come away with was a battered body and wounded pride. _And renewed determination,_  he added to himself. It hadn’t all been in vain—that determination had carried him through to victory over the Galactic Alliance.

_All in all, things haven’t gone too badly for me,_ he thought. _There’s no reason to complain. XL will figure out how to open a rift soon enough, Lightyear will be found, and everything will be fine. Better than fine. It’ll be_ perfect _._

He was just miserable because he was away from home. _Well, only one way to remedy that!_ Clapping his hands, he waited until a Grub scurried in.

"You called, O Vile One?" panted One-Two.

"Start packing! Make preparations for my personal staff and I to leave this planet!" Zurg ordered. "Have my Dreadnought and an escort of ships made ready!"

The Grub’s eyes widened. "Where are we going, Your Ruthlessness?"

"Home." The word felt so good to say. "We’re going back to Planet Z."

"Everyone?"

Zurg rolled his eyes. "No, not _everyone_ , you ninny! Just me and all my yoghurt-brained henchmen like you!"

"I’m a henchman?" One-Two clasped his hands together. "I thought I was just a lackey!"

"THEY’RE THE SAME THING!"

"No, no, there’s minions, then lackeys, and then hench—"

"Oh, never mind!" Zurg stopped him. "You’re all _morons_ , so what does it matter? Now, start those preparations! I want to leave as soon as possible!"

One-Two frowned. "Why, O Evil One? Has there been an emergency on Planet Z?"

"No, I’m just sick of this place. No matter how much scrubbing you do, you can never get that good guy stench out. I want to be back in my own home, in my own palace, on my own throne." He sighed. "Nova can run things from here."

The Grub seemed to falter for a moment, then saluted. "Okay, I’ll get to work at once, Evil Emperor!"

"Good," Zurg nodded. "Oh, but first there’s someone I want to speak to!"

* * *

It had been a lonely couple of days. The president hadn’t realised how much she’d come to rely on the company One-Two provided. She needed someone to talk to—someone who still seemed to care about her. The rest of the universe had forgotten her, and perhaps it was what she deserved. But that little Grub had stood by her and continued to act like a friend, though she wondered if he even knew what friendship was. Did he get to experience it amongst his fellow Grubs, or was that one of the many things forbidden by his master? It didn’t matter now, because she’d lost even that relationship. After that night when she’d been telling him about herself and he’d abruptly left, she hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse of him. One of the kitchen Grubs delivered her food every day, but it never spoke to her.

She couldn’t think what had caused One-Two to stop visiting her. Had she said something to offend him? Surely nothing that could be worse than the insults Zurg flung at his staff regularly, and the Grub didn’t seem to mind those. But if not that, then what?

She’d almost left her room to look for him, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She may have been granted free run of the hotel, but that didn’t mean she was ready to face the world. And the hotel wouldn’t be enough, anyway. She longed to walk the streets of her city again, despite the pain she knew it would bring her. She missed the smell of oak panelling in her office at the Senate, the view of her private estates from her family’s country house (she missed her family less, but she’d never been close to them), and all the little uniquely Capital Planet things that couldn’t be experienced from a hotel room.

The door was shoved open. She looked up from where she sat by the window, already knowing exactly who it was. "Zurg," she greeted. "Haven’t seen you in awhile."

"Madam President!" he returned in a sickly sweet voice, marching into the room. "What a pleasure as always! I hope you’re doing well?"

"I suppose I’ve been worse," she shrugged. "What do you want, hmm? Run out of your regular victims to torture?"

"Oh, but you _are_ one of my regulars," he chuckled. "I’m afraid that’s not why I’m here, though."

"Then what...?"

Zurg snapped a finger. "Grub, see that the ex-president’s meagre belongings are packed, won’t you?" He smiled to her. "We’re going on a little trip."

The Grub that rushed in from behind Zurg was One-Two. The president beamed when she saw him. "There you are!" she said. "Where’ve you been? I was worried."

"My pets aren’t getting too attached to each other, are they?" Zurg frowned. "I don’t approve of that sort of thing. Friendship only causes problems."

One-Two gulped, avoiding looking at the president. "Not to worry, Evil Emperor," he murmured. "I serve you and only you."

"You’re darn tootin’ you do, and don’t you forget it."

The president stared at the little insectoid as it began packing her clothes. Why wasn’t it acknowledging her? She faced Zurg. "What’s this all about? Where are we going?"

"Back to Planet Z." He rubbed his hands together. "Just think of it—home sweet home! I can even have your old cell made ready for you!"

She was on her feet at once. "What?! You want to drag me back there?"

"I was hoping for a little more enthusiasm."

"You can forget it, baby!" She folded her arms. "I’m not going back! I’m not leaving Capital Planet again!"

His eyes flashed. "You’ll do as you are told!"

"You don’t need me anymore! Just leave me here to feel sorry for myself! Isn’t that enough for you?"

"You amuse me," he answered. "I like keeping you around for entertainment when there’s nothing good on the tube."

_Entertainment? Does he think I’m a wind-up monkey now?_ "I’m not going," she repeated.

"Yes. You. Are." Zurg turned around. "I expect you onboard the Dreadnought as soon as it’s ready to leave. One-Two will see to it, I’m sure."

The Grub nodded, still silently packing.

"Good. See you there, Madam President!" Laughing, Zurg walked out.

As soon as he was gone, the president sprung over to One-Two and grabbed the suitcase away from him. "I’m not leaving, so you can just stop right there," she told him, emptying the neatly-packed contents on the floor.

"You have to," said One-Two. "The emperor has ordered it."

"Well fuck him!" _Language_ , the voice of her old diplomatic etiquette teacher scolded her. She ignored it. "I’m staying put."

One-Two looked up at her with worried eyes. "If you don’t do as he says, he’ll punish you. Maybe me too."

She sighed. "I don’t want to get you into trouble, child. But I can’t go back to that cosmos-forsaken planet of his. Home is the only comfort I have left."

"I-I’m sorry," he said. "I wish you didn’t have to go. But we have to do what he says."

"Why? Blast it, who is he to call the shots? If you minions of his would only stand up for yourselves, we could all be free! Don’t you see? He needs you—if you stop listening, he holds no power!"

One-Two sniffed indignantly. "I’m not a minion," he told her. "I’m a lackey. Maybe even a henchman! I... I have privileges! I’m his personal assistant!"

"Which counts for _what_ , huh?"

He swallowed. "It means... th-that I’m someone! And the emperor gives me this status! I owe my loyalty to him! That’s the way things are!"

"It’s not the way they should be! Are you just gonna stand by and let people suffer because you have some small bit of power under Zurg?"

"...y-yes!"

She snorted. "Then you’re just as pathetic as he’s always saying you are!"

"I’m a Grub! I was born to serve him!"

"And you think that’s any kind of a life?"

He shrugged. "It’s all we’ve ever had."

"Nonsense, child! Your people must’ve been something before you were his slaves!"

"We don’t remember, so why should it matter?"

"Because no species should be born into servitude!"

"Aren’t your LGMs slaves?" accused One-Two.

She shook her head. "Of course not! They work for us by choice. We have an arrangement with them." That was bending the truth a little—they _did_ have an arrangement, but she couldn’t say she was proud of how they’d obtained it. Still, it wasn’t on the same level as slavery.

"Zurg is good to us," the Grub insisted. "He gives us what we need."

"What he _thinks_ you need. You could be so much better—think of the life you could have without him!"

One-Two’s lips trembled. "I... I serve my emperor!"

The president sighed. "I see. Well... I’m sorry for you, child."

"I’m sorry for you too." He picked up the suitcase and began packing again. "If... well, uh... I would help you if I could."

She nodded. "But you won’t defy Zurg to do it."

"No."

"I suppose it would’ve been too much to hope for." She sighed again. "I’m sorry for asking."

The Grub continued to fold the clothes, still looking distressed. She wondered what it was like, growing up as he had, conditioned from birth to serve. To think you were nothing. _Maybe it’s easier than having that idea hammered into you later in life,_ she thought, staring around her room and imagining the cell walls she’d soon be returning to.

* * *

Zurg didn’t have much to pack. He’d only brought the essentials with him from Planet Z, and he was done in a few minutes. Unfortunately, it would still be some time before they were ready to go. He had to give Nova some notice first, so he decided to schedule the departure for the next morning. That would give his staff plenty of time to prepare.

He contacted XL first. "How’s the work progressing?" he asked over the comm.

"Quite awesomely, if I say so myself," replied the robot. "I think I’m starting to work out what level of massive boom we’re gonna need to open a hole into one of these spacial tunnels. Still got a lot of tests to run, though. Haha, don’t wanna blow up the whole galaxy, right, man?"

"Excellent. I have good news for you as well—we’ll be on our way to Planet Z in the morning. You can continue your work there, with far greater resources!"

XL paused, his eye widening. "What, we’re going back _there_? The place where NOS-4-A2 almost ate me?"

"It’s not like he’s going to be there!" _Ugh, why do I have to deal with stupidity at every turn?_

"Yeah, I know that! He did die on Planet Z, though, I mean what if he somehow got rebuilt and is roaming the halls looking for revenge? But even if he isn’t, that place still gives me the creeps!" XL shivered. "Bad memories, man! I don’t wanna go back there! I can do my work here!"

Zurg folded his arms. "You’re coming back there with me and that’s final. I’m sick of all this obstinance I’m getting from everyone! Who’s the evil emperor around here, eh? I give the orders, and you people obey!"

Shutting off the vidphone, he left the hotel and crossed the street to the Senate. The Senate meeting would be over by then, so he went up to Mira’s office. Sure enough, the Tangean was inside, arguing over the phone about shipping policies. She jumped when she saw him enter.

"I’ll call you back," she said hurriedly, shutting off the link. "Zurg, what can I do for you?"

"Evil Emperor Zurg," he corrected her. Would she never learn?

"Whatever." She winced when he glared at her. "Okay, sorry, Evil Emperor Zurg. What’s up?"

He sauntered across the room. "I just thought I should inform you that I’ll be returning to Planet Z in the morning." He shrugged. "This place is getting a little stifling."

Mira’s eyebrows rose. "Y-you’re leaving?"

"Yes. Please, try not to shed too many tears at my farewell."

"I think, uh, I think I can manage that," she said dryly.

"You’ll continue to run things here, of course," he went on. "I know everything is in capable hands with Mira Nova in charge."

She rolled her eyes. " _And_ you know you don’t have to do as much work as long as I’m here, right?"

"You say that like I don’t do my fair share. Being an evil emperor is far from a stress-free job, let me tell you!"

"Uh-huh. Maybe on Planet Z, but here you’ve done nothing but sit in your hotel room." She leaned forward. "Truth is, we won’t even notice you’re gone. You haven’t done anything except redecorate the Senate and order stupid statues of yourself! Statues _I_ had to get made for you! I’ve been the one organising everything!"

Was _everyone_ going to be rude to him today? "And I appreciate your work, Nova," he answered calmly. "That’s why you’re sitting at this desk instead of hanging from a containment web as a hostage to use against your precious Buzz Lightyear. But don’t think for even a second that I won’t put you in that web if your insolence exceeds your usefulness."

"Is that a fancy way of telling me to shut up?"

"Yes." He leaned across the desk. "So SHUT UP!"

She pressed her lips together firmly and said nothing.

"Good. Now, I expect regular reports from you on the situation here. And you will continue to consult me on any major decisions, is that clear?"

She nodded.

"And, Mira..." He leaned closer. "Don’t think that you can get away with anything just because I’m not here. No little tricks, no subversions, no secret rebellions. Many of my agents will still be on this planet and they’ll have their eyes on you. If you step out of line even once, you’ll pay for it dearly."

Mira scowled. "So what else is new?"

He smiled. "You know, perhaps one day, years from now, you’ll come to enjoy working for me. You’ll see this as your rise to power."

"I don’t want power," she snapped. "I’m the heir to the throne of Tangea—I’m set to inherit all the power I’d ever need. And instead of training to become queen, do you know what I did? I joined the Space Rangers. Not everyone is power-mad like you!"

"Then why have you always craved recognition? You’ve always wanted to be seen as the best, have you not? You always look for the most exciting assignments, and you’ll do anything to get them, even disobey direct orders."

"That... that’s different. That’s about getting the respect and responsibility I deserve," she said. "I worked really hard to get to where I was in the Rangers, so yeah, I wanted people to notice. It was something I actually earned—not something that was handed to me because I’m a princess—so I’m proud of it. It was never about power or control!"

Zurg shrugged. "If it’s fame you want, you’ve gotten that through me too. You’re now overseeing half the galaxy—everyone knows your name!"

"I want to be known for my accomplishments, okay? Not just my job!"

"You can have that as well. You’ve accomplished a great deal already." He didn’t like to say it—praise always made people forget their place—but he’d been very impressed by how well she was handling everything. Raids, food shortages, and rebuilding efforts were all being managed with equal efficiency. "If you stick with me, Nova, you can get everything you’ve ever wanted. I value loyalty among my employees."

Her brow furrowed. "I-I’m not going to be your new Warp Darkmatter. That’s what... that’s what you want, isn’t it? I can see it now—that’s what this whole conversation is about!"

He stiffened. Was that what he was doing? Unconsciously looking for someone to replace Warp? He wished he could deny it, but he realised she was right. Still, she wasn’t a bad choice for the role. Why not replace one ex-partner of Lightyear’s with another? "Think about it carefully before you say no," he told her. "Warp got a very lucrative deal when he entered my employment."

"Huh, gee, didn’t stop him from walking out in the end, though, did it?"

Zurg’s fists tightened. The betrayal he felt still lingered. "He was a fool. But you, Nova, are smarter than that. You know this is what you want, deep down. You could be the second most important person in the galaxy!"

"I do know what I want," she said. "If I could have one wish, I know what it would be."

He leaned forward. "What? Name it, and perhaps it can be arranged."

"That would be telling." A sarcastic look crossed her face. "And then, y’know, it might not come true. Here’s a hint though, three words: You. Not. Breathing."

Zurg glared at her. "You’re far too stubborn for your own good, Mira Nova. Be careful not to let that stubbornness be your undoing."

"We Novas have ruled Tangea for centuries," she said. "You know why? ‘Cause we’re the only ones stubborn enough to get the job done. So maybe _you_ should be careful."

He looked at her in surprise, almost amused. "Was that a threat?"

"Nope, just telling you the way things are."

Spirit and bravery were definitely two things she possessed in abundance. Stupidity also, to speak to him in such a manner. But he was feeling generous enough not to punish her for it. He remembered all the times Warp had talked back to him—it was always infuriating when it happened, but that fire was what had made Warp such a good agent. _Nova could be the same,_ he thought. _A pity she clings so strongly to the integrity he always shied away from._ He wondered what it would take to corrupt her upright nature. Maybe when he was back on Planet Z he would think of a way.

"Consider my offer," he said. "We would make an interesting team."

Mira’s jaw tightened. "I already have a team," she said in a low voice. "The best team in the whole universe, and I will _never_ betray them."

"Then, my dear Governor, we are at an impasse." He sighed. "Perhaps you’ll change your mind after you find yourself reading one too many casualty lists, and you realise life isn’t as fair and just as you think it is."

"Don’t count on it."

He turned away. "Do come tomorrow to see me off, Nova. Until then, ta-ta."

Leaving the office, he took a long, winding route through the building. This was the Senate, the seat of Galactic Alliance government. The place he’d always dreamed of controlling. And now he was leaving it. Part of him almost longed for the old days, when everything was so simple.

Frowning, he walked out the front entrance and left the building behind him. He surveyed the Plaza around him. _I have so much now—everything is mine._ Was it enough?

_I wish I didn’t miss that pesky status quo,_ he thought. _I wish this victory had satisfied me! Maybe eventually something will._ He headed for the hotel so he could finish his preparations for the departure. At least he had Planet Z to look forward to.


	52. Chapter 51

Water streamed down the viewport. The sky outside was the dim blue of early morning, though it wouldn’t get much lighter even when the sun rose; clouds continued to blot out the horizon. The ship’s instruments forecasted at least another day of rain before it finally subsided, and even then it might still be grey and miserable for days afterwards.

Sitting on the ledge of the wide viewport, her knees scrunched against her chest, Savy looked out at what little she could see of the world below. Their ship was sitting in the middle of a clearing, but the surrounding area was mostly jungle for miles. Not her kind of place at all. She’d heard stories about the ferocious wildlife that infested Karn, although so far they hadn’t encountered much of it thanks to the bad weather. She couldn’t say she was sorry.

She’d had her full of jungles. First Tangea, then the Humanitez colony, now this place... What did she have to do to get back to the good old metal and concrete of the city? Savy sighed. She remembered rainy days on Trade World. It never poured like it did on Karn. It was usually a gentle sprinkling that brought out the smells of the sea and made the roads slick and shiny. Sometimes they got a really big shower and all the street vendors would pack up their stalls and the homeless people would find a bridge or shaded alley to shelter under. When she was on her own, before her parents adopted her, she would hide in the rusty fire escape of an old building and draw the raggedy blanket she’d stolen around her shoulders while she watched the rain fall. It looked pretty against the hazy lights of the city.

Those days were long behind her now. She had a family, a modest little apartment that didn’t have _too_ many cockroaches, and a job at The Fixer’s repairing robots. Not a bad life, all in all. Of course, she didn’t have any of those things _anymore_...

_But I’ll get them back. Once we kick Zurg out, everything will go back to the way it should be._

There were footsteps in the hall. Buzz walked by, pausing when he saw her. "What are you doing up so early, kid?"

"Nothing." She shrugged. "Just... I dunno, thinking..."

He squinted at her. "Not having any thoughts about backing out, are you? You wouldn’t go soft on me, would you, Savy?"

She shook her head quickly. "Nah, no way. I was just thinking about what’s gonna happen when this is all over."

"Got any plans?" he asked, sitting down beside her.

"Nothing special. I’m gonna go back home."

"That all?"

She bit her lip. "Yeah, what else do I do? I’m not going back to the Junior Rangers, that’s for sure!"

They both laughed.

"You could stick by me, Savy," said Buzz. "I could use you, even after this is over."

Glancing down, she tried to decide how to answer. "I... I gotta stay on Trade World. It’s where I belong. There’s stuff I wanna do there. I bet there’ll be a lot of displaced robots after this mess, and someone’s gotta look out for ‘em." She met his gaze. "What about you? What are you gonna do?" A thought occurred to her. "You could come with me. There’s always work for people like you on Trade World—you could be a bounty hunter or something."

He raised an eyebrow. "You think a bounty hunter’s all I aspire to be in life?"

"There’s other stuff you could do. Trade World’s a city of opportunities—that’s what they say, anyway."

A smile crept over Buzz’s face. "I have other plans," he told her. "But if you ever want in on them, just say the word. Unless you want to be street trash for the rest of your life."

Savy ran a hand through her hair, suddenly wishing she could sign up for whatever it was he had in mind. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had actually _wanted_ her around for anything. There were her parents, of course, but that was different. Family was supposed to care about you. But nobody else ever had. Even Buzz—the other Buzz—had just shunted her off to the Junior Rangers, patted himself on the back for doing his good deed for the day, and promptly forgotten about her. He’d never stopped by once to check on her. "I’d stick with you if I could," she said at last. "But I dunno... I got my family to think about..."

"You’d be doing them a favour by staying in my good graces," he answered.

She suppressed a shiver, deciding not to untangle the implications of that sentence. "I’m not looking to be some kind of galactic big shot like you," she sighed. "I just want to live my life and help a few bots along the way. I owe it to ‘em after everything my parents have done for me."

"And you think the best way to do that is to hang around a dump like Trade World forever?"

Wincing at the insult to her home, she nodded. "Why not? Besides, I know you’re not into the robot rescuing business, so what do you care?"

"Doesn’t mean I couldn’t help you." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Tell me, how did you stop that energy vampire from killing any more robots?"

"I staked him through the chest. Duh."

He grinned. "Exactly. You’re smart, Savy. I like the way you think." Leaning closer, he added, "But what about all the other threats out there to your robots? That vampire may be dead, but there’ll always be new enemies. Robo-haters, looters, hackers... wouldn’t you like to take care of them too?"

What was he saying? "Yeah, sure, I’d like them all out of the picture. I’d like robots to have the same rights and protection under the law as anyone else. But what am I supposed to do, stab everyone who tries to harm them?"

"Isn’t that what you’d _like_ to do?"

She swallowed. "N-no... I don’t want to hurt people..."

"You didn’t mind hurting NOS-4-A2."

"That was different. He deserved it!"

"And the other people who hurt robots don’t?"

She hesitated. "Well... I mean, you can’t just..."

"Murder organics? Is that it?" He grinned wickedly. "It’s different stabbing a robot, isn’t it? Doesn’t feel like murder. Because they’re not really people..."

"No!" She jumped up. "I’m not like that! I’m not like everyone else who thinks robots are just dumb machines! They’re every bit as alive as you or me!"

"Then you would have had no problem killing NOS-4-A2 if he’d been an organic?"

Her throat suddenly feeling dry, she forced herself to nod. Was it true? Would she have stabbed him if he hadn’t been a robot, or would she have hesitated?

Buzz stood up. "Good. So you’d kill other people too if they started hurting bots?"

"I... I dunno... Maybe..."

He moved in closer. "You’ll never have a better chance to do it than if you stick with me."

"But you don’t even care about any of the stuff I believe in! You just want me along as your weird sidekick ‘cause, I don’t know, I’m useful or you think I’m entertaining or something!" She pulled away from him. "I don’t wanna go as far as you have... You killed that girl at the colony!"

"And I let the rest of the town live," he answered. "Because you wanted me to."

That was true. When she’d asked him to spare the colony and release the locked-up populace before they left, he’d agreed. She knew he was only trying to stay on her good side because he still needed her, but... but maybe he’d learn to be less ruthless if she stayed around him long enough. Maybe together they could finally do some good in the universe.

"Come on, kid," he said, putting an arm around her. "You stick by ol’ Buzz and everything will be just fine."

"Y-yeah, okay..." she nodded, resting her head against his shoulder the way she used to whenever she sat with her father, though this shoulder felt didn’t feel nearly as comforting. "I’ll think about it."

* * *

Nebula yawned and stretched. The cot Dr. Furbanna had set up for him to sleep in was decadent luxury compared to the bunk on Xlgta’s ship, and he felt well-rested for the first time in days. The room was empty when he looked around. Sounds from the kitchen told him the doctor was in there, preparing breakfast. Xlgta meanwhile had left in the night to go back to her ship. She seemed to feel more comfortable sleeping there, though she refused to make things easier by bringing it into the clearing where the rest of the ships were. _Always gotta be furtive about everything._

Rising from the cot, Nebula pulled on his suit and marched to the kitchen. Ozma was pouring coffee into two mugs when he entered.

"Good morning," she greeted blandly.

"Morning." He studied her. So this was the woman Buzz was always fawning over—he’d never gotten around to meeting her until the day before when circumstances had brought them together, but he’d heard all about her. It was about time Buzz started dating again, he’d thought back when the rookies had spread rumours of Buzz’s crush after the first Karn mission. The man hadn’t had much luck with romance over the years, and seemed to be devoting himself to the job more and more, but Nebula still felt sure he’d do better with a special someone in his life. He was glad he’d found a new love at last. Ozma didn’t seem the most outgoing of people, and her manner could be a little abrupt, but Buzz was no better when it came to social interaction. And if her reputation was anything to go by, Ozma was a brilliant scientist—just the kind of equal Buzz needed to keep him on his toes.

"Sleep well, Commander?" she asked him.

Nebula nodded. "I was out like a light. Thanks for putting me up for the night, Doc."

"No problem." She handed him his coffee. "Stay as long as you like. Everyone else seems to be."

Leaning against the counter, Nebula took a swig of the hot beverage. Decades of scalding his tongue had numbed him to the heat, and he simply poured it straight down his throat. "You don’t like having all these people around much, huh?" he asked after he’d finished the drink.

"No. Well," she admitted, "it wasn’t so bad when it was just the Rangers, but..."

"Those mercenaries freak you out a bit?"

She shrugged. "I just don’t like them. I know their type—they’re the same kind of people as the poachers who go after my animals. I wish they weren’t here."

"You can say that again, Doc." Sooner or later he and Buzz would have to have a proper sit-down to talk about the situation. He wasn’t looking forward to it.

There was a rap on the door. "Sounds like Buzz," said Ozma. "Excuse me."

She left the kitchen and Nebula followed her, dropping his empty mug in the sink. Ozma unsealed the door, standing back to let a wet Buzz trudge in.

"Weather still hasn’t let up," he sighed. "Morning, Ozma, Commander."

Nebula nodded to him. "Where’s Booster?"

"He’s still on 42. Didn’t, uh, feel like coming over."

Something in Buzz’s voice made Nebula wonder if relations between Buzz and his rookie were as good as they used to be. The young Jo-Adian didn’t seem at all happy with the current state of affairs. He’d ask about it later.

They didn’t have long to wait before there was another knock. When Ozma opened the hatch, Xlgta stepped in, still completely suited up. Nebula nodded to her. "Morning."

Not bothering to reply, she walked through the living area and settled in one of the chairs. "This is a most unpleasant planet."

Ozma frowned. "Oh?"

"Some large beast tried to disembowel me on the way here," she answered. "I am not in the habit of starting my morning by fighting off savage wildlife."

"You didn’t hurt it, did you?" Ozma demanded, suddenly distressed.

Xlgta shrugged. "I was unable to kill it, but I did injure it sufficiently to frighten it away."

_Uh-oh._ Nebula saw anger flash in the zoologist’s eyes.

"You did _what_?!"

"I had no choice."

"This is a protected planet!" yelled Ozma. "Every animal here is under the full protection of galactic law!"

Xlgta laughed. "What galactic law? Have you forgotten that your alliance no longer holds any power in this galaxy?"

"Easy, easy," said Buzz, stepping between them before Ozma could get any madder. "Remember, we’re all on the same side here. Right?" He looked at Xlgta as if he had doubts.

Nebula couldn’t say he blamed him—he’d shared those doubts for a long time. He was finally convinced Xlgta’s motives were genuine, even if he didn’t entirely agree with them, but whether or not he could trust her was another matter. He’d decided to go along with her plans for the time being, though. She’d told him she would do everything she could to help them stop Zurg, which was just fine and dandy—the only catch was that the emperor had to be taken alive. She wanted Nebula to ensure none of his Rangers hurt him. _Not gonna be easy after everything that freak did to us, but I think they’ll listen to me in the end. All these thugs Buzz is working with, though... they don’t give squat about what I got to say._

Personally, even after everything Xlgta had shown him, Nebula didn’t think he’d be the slightest bit sorry if anything _did_ happen to Zurg. Maybe the guy had had a hard time in the past, but that didn’t excuse anything he’d done in the present. In spite of this, however, he was finding himself feeling a certain level of sympathy for Xlgta’s plight. She just wanted to keep a promise to a dead friend. Nebula understood that, and he wished he could make things easier for her. _I wish there was some way of changing the past..._

Buzz was still staring at Xlgta with suspicion. She seemed to be meeting his gaze, though it was hard to tell with her helmet on. Ozma stood beside Buzz, glaring at her as well.

"I still don’t understand who you are or why you’re here," said the doctor. "Why should I let you stay on my planet?"

"I’m here to help," answered Xlgta. "But who I am is nothing to do with you."

"No, Ozma’s right." Buzz circled around her. "The least you could do is show us your face."

Xlgta shrugged. "You will not like it."

"I used to know a lady with a giant lightbulb head. I think I can handle whatever you look like."

Nebula coughed. "Buzz, just let her be. Trust me on this, okay?"

"I’d like to, Commander, but this is too important," said Buzz. "I have to know who all my allies are. We can’t afford any security risks."

"Oh, come on, Lightyear, like those criminals you’ve thrown yourself in with aren’t the real security risk around here!" Nebula folded his arms. "I’m vouching for Xlgta. Isn’t that enough?"

Xlgta held up a hand. "No, it is fine, Commander," she said. "If Ranger Lightyear wishes to know what I look like, I will show him."

_Oh boy, this is not gonna go down well._ Nebula tried to protest, but Xlgta calmly began undoing the seals on her suit. Buzz and Ozma waited expectantly. When Xlgta pulled the black helmet up and dropped it on Ozma’s desk, the pair gasped.

"What do you think?" The faded, discoloured grill of Xlgta’s mouth transformed into a smile.

"You’re... you’re like Zurg..." Ozma breathed. She seemed almost fascinated, as if Xlgta were an interesting zoological specimen.

His eyes still wide with shock, Buzz raised an arm and aimed his wrist laser at her. "So, the truth comes out, eh? I knew we couldn’t trust you!"

"Buzz, it’s not what you think!" Nebula yanked his Ranger’s arm back down. "She’s not working with Zurg!"

"Yeah, right." Buzz tried to pull free of his grip. "Then you tell me what _is_ going on!"

Nebula sighed. "It’s a long story. Look, she’s the same species as him, sure..."

"I always thought Zurg wore a mask," broke in Ozma.

"Then you are not as good a biologist as you believe yourself to be," smirked Xlgta.

"You always called him helmet-head," said Buzz to Nebula. "Are you saying that’s actually his face?"

Nebula swallowed. "Well, uh, yeah. Apparently."

"And you expect me to believe she’s not in league with Zurg?"

"I am not," assured Xlgta. "Although I am here to save him. I wish to help all of you—I can make sure Zurg is never a threat to you again, and I can take him home, where he will be safe."

Nebula nodded. "Xlgta and Zurg are from another galaxy. She knows how to get back there, and she wants to take Zurg with her. I agreed to help."

"No." The firmness in Buzz’s voice was clear. "Not good enough. Zurg has to face justice for what he’s done."

"I will look after him," said Xlgta, equally firm. "If there is any justice to be administered, I shall be the one to administer it. Zurg is my responsibility."

"I don’t think so." Buzz shook his head. "Zurg has been my responsibility ever since I became a Ranger, and I’m going to see that he pays for his crimes. I’ve been fighting him for twenty years—where were you in all that time? What makes you think you have the right to decide his punishment when it’s _our_ galaxy he’s been terrorising?"

Xlgta’s eyes glowed brighter. "I knew him when he was a child—I knew his family long before he was born! I promised his grandmother I would see her daughter and her grandson were protected!"

"Come on, Buzz," Nebula urged. "She just wants to honour an oath she swore, same as we do. She couldn’t save the daughter—at least let her save Zurg! She’ll take him back with her. We’ll be safe. No one needs to get hurt."

He suddenly realised Xlgta was looking at him very strangely. She twisted her aged features into a look of puzzlement. "What do you mean... ‘couldn’t save the daughter’? Xilx is dead?"

Nebula struggled to keep his face neutral. "Sure, must be," he muttered gruffly. "She’s not around, so I just figured..."

"I never knew what happened to her." Xlgta was taking slow steps towards him. "When I met with Zurg to ask him to come back with me, he never told me what had become of his mother. But I did suspect... I was almost certain she had perished somehow..." Stopping directly in front of him, Xlgta leaned in. "How did you know she was dead?"

Nebula shrugged. "Like I said, just a guess. Who knows, maybe she’s still alive somewhere. Maybe Zurg has her locked in a basement." He laughed, but it sounded hollow. Even Buzz was staring at him in a funny way now.

"You are lying," stated Xlgta. "What do you know? Is there something you have not told me?"

"I... I don’t..." He mentally debated his options. How much could he safely tell her? Or should he continue to deny everything?

"You will answer me," she insisted, close enough for him to feel her breath on his neck.

Nebula managed to look her in the eye. "Look, I... um, I was on a patrol. We ran into Zurg’s ship. It crashed. That’s all."

"Liar!" Suddenly, she was grabbing his head, her claws digging into the skin. He hadn’t realised until now she’d removed her gloves.

Gasping in pain, he tried to pull away. He could hear shouting—Buzz was trying to pry Xlgta’s hands off him. Everything was a blur... the world was fading... he thought he saw something glowing in Xlgta’s hand...

Shapes and colours emerged out of the blackness and sharpened into a new reality. Still struggling for breath, though no longer in Xlgta’s clutches, Nebula looked around. He jolted in surprise at the sight of a familiar vessel through the window in front of him. He remembered the shape of the old star cruiser model, back when they were still called patrol cruisers. All but Cruiser 5.5 had long since been decommissioned, but Nebula still remembered them with fondness. Then he realised Xlgta and Buzz were standing beside him.

"What in the galaxy...?" Buzz was in a daze. "What just happened? Where are we?"

"In our heads. We’re looking at the past." Nebula took in his surroundings. Once again, it was the bridge of a ship. A small vessel, with a two-man cockpit. He could only see the backs of the figures seated up front, but he already knew who they would be. _No, no! I don’t wanna do this! Blast it, Xlgta, stop this!_

Xlgta marched up to the pair in the cockpit. Nebula reluctantly followed, as did Buzz. They found themselves looking at Zurg—dressed the same as he’d been in the last flashback, still lacking his armour—and a woman who closely resembled him, dressed in many robes and fineries. The pair were gaping at empty space, and Zurg had a hand pressed to the blastshield, as if reaching for something that wasn’t there.

"I believe the trans-spacial tunnel has just closed," said Xlgta. "They are trapped."

Memories jumped back at Nebula against his will. His unit had been on a routine sweep of the sector—on the look-out for space pirates, as usual—when they’d picked up some strange energy readings on the far side of the system, near a large, angry-looking red planet. They’d come to investigate and seen an unknown ship emerge from nowhere...

"Zurg," said woman sitting beside him. It was the same voice Nebula had heard arguing with the empress in the first flashback, though the woman would be considerably older now. "Zurg!"

Zurg blinked, drawing his hand away from the glass.

"There’s no time for dilly-dallying. Over there, look!" She pointed at the patrol cruiser above them. "We’ve been spotted!"

Squinting at the markings on the ship, Zurg said, "It looks like the galactic patrollers—I almost ran into them a few times on my last visit. They patrol the shipping lanes around here. We’d better move before they mistake us for pirates!"

Xilx nodded. "Powering up thrusters, full speed! They should be online in a jif—"

The ship shuddered. Green light dazzled through the windows, surrounding the hull.

"They have us in a tractor lock!" growled Zurg.

"Break free! I’m not going to let these alien primitives capture us!"

Nebula felt himself shaking. He remembered the scene on the cruiser. The captain had ordered the ship seized and brought in for inspection. Standard Ranger procedure dictated an unknown ship should be hailed and asked to identify itself first, but no such procedure existed back then. The patrollers were used to using blunter tactics. It was their job to safeguard the new alliance that was springing up between worlds that had once mistrusted each other greatly, and it wasn’t an easy task. The niceties of Buzz’s generation were a luxury they couldn’t afford.

Zurg fingered a joystick and there was a whine as the weapons powered up. "Take that!" he snorted, sounding almost indignant that someone had dared to harass _him_ of all people. Red lights streaked across the dark, slamming into the hull of the cruiser.

_Blast, haven’t I relived this day enough in my_ own _memories?_ Nebula winced. It was all happening just as he remembered it. He knew what came next.

The cruiser dropped the tractor lock and returned fire. Sparks flew from one of the bulkheads as the ship reeled under the onslaught. Zurg gripped the sides of his seat to steady himself. "They’ve taken out our main engines!" he shrieked, checking the diagnostics screen.

"We can’t get away?" his mother gulped. "No! We have to do something! We won’t be anyone’s prisoners!"

"Perhaps there’s enough power in the backups," suggested Zurg. He was thrown forward as another shot rocked the ship, but he valiantly clung to the console and switched to the auxiliary systems. The vessel surged forward, rattling as if it were about the fly apart.

Buzz was staring at the scene. He’d been silently taking it in, but now he spoke up. "They’ll never escape the cruiser in this state," he said.

Nebula nodded, his throat tight. "They don’t."

A third blast sent the ship spiralling wildly through the void. More sparks flew and something in the back of the ship caught fire, smoking up the cockpit. It was obvious there was no chance of getting away.

"Work, you stupid machine!" Zurg pounded the console, but it was no use. The ship was falling backwards.

Xilx coughed as the smoke thickened. "We’re caught in the pull of that planet! We’re going down!"

"No!" But although he continued to wrestle with the controls, even Zurg, for all his determination, couldn’t defy the law of gravity. All he could do was try to make it a softer landing. They plummeted through the atmosphere, rattling and tumbling out of control. The ground came into view. It was an ocean of red sand, with mountains rising up like waves.

Nebula shut his eyes and braced himself. The impact came a few seconds later, and he heard the screams and shouts of the ship’s occupants above the sound of smashing, rending metal.

When everything had stilled, he opened his eyes again. He stood unharmed beside Buzz and Xlgta, but Zurg and his mother weren’t quite so lucky.

Xlgta rushed to the front of the cockpit. It was now broken open, shattered glass lying everywhere. The pair had fallen from their seats and were spread across the floor, resting amongst the sharp fragments. Indigo blood seeped from the dozens of cuts that crisscrossed their bodies. It stained Xilx’s elaborate clothes, though they’d been ripped up so badly it hardly mattered.

"My child," Xlgta whispered, kneeling over the body. She was startled when the woman moaned and stirred. "She is alive!"

Zurg began to groan as well and rolled over. The glass tinkled beneath him and fell from his clothes as he pulled himself up. "Ohhh, my head..." He rubbed the back of his skull and gasped when he drew away a hand covered in blood. Then his eyes fell on the prone form of his mother. "Ma!"

He scooped her into his arms and dragged her up to her chair. Her eyes flickered open as he settled her there and she gasped for breath. "Zurg... are... are you... alright?"

Nodding, he looked over her wounds. "It doesn’t seem too bad," he told her. "Just a few scrapes. We’ll survive."

She offered him a pained smile. "We always do."

Xlgta spun to face Nebula. "But she doesn’t, does she? What happens? Are her wounds worse then they appear? How could you do this? You just left the pair of them to die!"

Nebula shook his head slowly. "No, we didn’t."

There was a rumble in the dark sky. The sound of engines. Xlgta leaned out the shattered blastshield and looked up, hissing when she saw the cruiser descending.

It was all so clear in Nebula’s head. He remembered the captain ordering him to lead the unit down to the surface to check out the crash site. _And take any survivors prisoner,_ he recalled.

"They’re still after us!" said Zurg, noticing the cruiser. "We have to get away from the ship!"

He helped his mother to her feet and they supported each other as they limped out the wreckage. Nebula, Xlgta, and Buzz followed them. Buzz was still very quiet, which Nebula found worrying.

Dust swirled around their feet. Zurg and his mother panted and groaned as they shuffled across the sand, heading for a large dune which might conceal them from view. Once they were behind it, they dropped down in exhaustion.

"Do you have your disintegrator ray?" Zurg asked, wiping a cut on his head that was still bleeding.

Xilx shook her head. "It’s back on the ship."

"Then let’s hope they don’t find us," said Zurg.

The cruiser landed near the crashed shuttle. Nebula watched the squad of men exit it, his breath catching as he saw so many long-lost faces. Once that unit had been his family...

Leading the squad was a young man with a short brown moustache and the swagger of an officer who hadn’t seen much action yet. Oh, there’d been the Raenok conflict, but that was a pretty minor affair. This patroller still had a lot to learn about combat. Nebula could hardly believe he’d once been so innocent and naive.

"Alright, let’s head out, boys," he was ordering the unit. "Circle around the wreckage. Keep your blasters ready—anything makes a run at you, you shoot it right back, is that clear? Let’s move!"

They spread out around the crashed ship, carefully closing in on it from all angles. Young Nebula led the way forward, holding up his gun. It was one of the old, standard issue plasma blasters—Nebula found himself missing the familiar weight of it in his hands. Somehow it felt more real than a laser built into your wrist.

Zurg and his mother were keeping perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe as they watched the unit search through the wreckage. At last the men seemed satisfied there was nothing there.

"What do you think happened?" one of them asked Nebula.

"They’ve given us the slip. Hmm." He rubbed his chin and scanned the ground. "Look over there—footprints in the sand! They went that way!"

Standing beside Xlgta, the real Nebula wanted to beg the old woman to stop the flashback. _I don’t wanna go through all this again..._ But he knew she wouldn’t listen and somehow he felt he had to see it through to the bitter end.

"You guys watch my back," his younger self ordered the men. "I’ll handle this myself."

_Why was I so pig-headed? What was I trying to prove?_

The young Nebula crept up on the dune, blaster raised once again. Behind it, Zurg and his mother were tensed, knowing he was approaching. Nebula could feel the fear Zurg was feeling.

His younger self had almost rounded the dune. Xilx suddenly rose, still shaky, and gathered up her tattered robes. "You’ve always been everything to me, Zurg," she whispered. "I want that to be what you remember about me."

Zurg frowned. "Ma? What are you...?"

She was gone. The blood-covered woman leaped into the open, lunging at Nebula before he had a chance to react. He gasped, hitting the ground with a thud as she pushed him over. They rolled in the dust, limbs flailing. Xilx would ordinarily have been the stronger of the pair, but her injuries levelled the playing field. She was clawing at Nebula, ripping long gashes through his suit. Some of her swipes drew blood. He in turn was kicking her in the stomach, slamming his knees into her injuries mercilessly.

It was something the older Nebula remembered easily, not even needing to watch the scene playing out before him to recall the details. He remembered how he’d felt—the pain, the fear, the adrenaline. The first time he’d ever truly had to fight for his life. It wasn’t something you forgot.

The other men were rushing forward, unable to shoot for fear of hitting their comrade. They were still some distance away though, and Nebula was weakening under Xilx’s attacks. He tried to roll on top of her, but she held him down. His combat suit was the only thing keeping him from being torn to shreds.

"I wasn’t born... into a palace... just to... die... out here... in the dirt!" Xilx yelled, pounding him with her fists. Pausing for a moment, she reached into her robes and drew out a knife with a nasty, serrated edge. "Prepare to die!"

The pause had given Nebula the opportunity he needed and he jerked away, slipping out from under her and rolling across the sand. He reached for his blaster, which lay a few feet away. "I don’t think so, freak!"

She screeched and drove the knife down, missing his stomach as he scooted away but thrusting it into his leg. It sliced through armour and flesh, coming out the other side. Nebula howled in pain and looked down. Blood was flowing freely around the embedded blade. It poured out faster than he would have thought possible, and the older Nebula remembered how his younger self had realised at once that he didn’t have much time. It was a wound he could die from very quickly if the bleeding wasn’t stopped.

He panted against the ground, still clutching the gun. Xilx was clawing her way towards him, clutching her middle but preparing to make another attack. The other men were still running towards them. They wouldn’t make it in time.

Young Nebula raised the gun again, squinting in pain and struggling to aim. With a shaky hand he pulled the trigger. There was a brief flash as the blast crossed the distance and slammed into his attacker. Xilx slumped into the dust and was still.

The energy seemed to drain from Nebula and he collapsed as well, his face still pulled into an expression of agony. The men reached him and gathered him up, rushing him back to the ship.

Nebula remembered that there’d been no medical equipment onboard the tiny cruiser. The crew had no choice but to leave immediately and head for the nearest planet with medical facilities. Xilx and the crashed ship were forgotten. When the patrollers finally sent another team to investigate the next day, all they found were a few pieces of wreckage, half-buried by a recent sand storm. The body was missing, and they’d always assumed the woman had had enough life left in her to crawl off somewhere to die, or maybe she’d just been covered under a heap of wind-swept sand. Personally though, Nebula had always believed there’d been another person at that crash site, and he’d long had his suspicions about who it was. Now he knew for sure.

He watched the cruiser leave. When it was gone, Zurg crawled out from behind the dune. With unsteady hands, he turned over his mother’s body and tried to wake her. She didn’t move. "Ma," Zurg whispered. "Ma!" At last he stopped and held her tight, dragging her body with him back to the wreckage and resting it gently on the floor. Then he sat down against the hull and stared vacantly out at the bleak horizon, as if all the will had been drained out of him.

Xlgta had watched the scene play out with stiff detachment, but now she whipped around and faced Nebula. "You!" she hissed. "All this time—it was you! You killed her!"

"I had no choice!" The world was fading around them now. Already the details of the bio-station were replacing the red sands of Planet Z. "It was her or me!"

"She was protecting her son!"

"How was I supposed to know that?!"

They were firmly back in reality now. Ozma stared at them. "What just happened?"

Ignoring her, Buzz looked at Nebula with something uncomfortably resembling betrayal. "Commander... how come I know nothing about this? You never said you’d encountered anyone like Zurg before. I’ve never even read any reports about it."

Nebula sighed. "The patrollers decided not to file a report on the incident. Look, Buzz, it was a difficult time—there was a lot going on. We didn’t want anything to damage the peace that was being forged between so many different species. If we’d announced some strange alien had dropped out of the sky and attacked one of our patrol ships, it would’ve only caused unnecessary panic. Everyone would’ve been pointing fingers at each other. The decision was made to keep the matter quiet."

"But you kept it secret all these years." Buzz’s eyes continued to bore into him. "You could’ve told _me_ at least! I always thought we could trust each other completely!"

"We can!"

"Then why didn’t you tell me? Sweet Mother of Venus, you actually tried to mislead everyone into thinking you knew nothing about Zurg! That’s why you called him helmet-head. You’ve been lying to us!"

There was no way to answer him. Nebula knew Buzz was right. "Look, I’m sorry," he said. "I just... I didn’t want to risk dredging up all that history again. I didn’t think it was relevant..."

"Galactic enemy number one looks like a person who attacked you forty years ago and you didn’t think it was _relevant?_ " Buzz’s eyebrows rose in disbelief. "You never _once_ thought to mention it?"

"What good would it have done? You wouldn’t have learned anything useful about Zurg." Nebula shrugged. "And I was afraid... I was afraid it would get out somehow. I figured Zurg was probably at that crash site, and if he ever realised I was the one that killed whoever it was who was with him, I’d be a dead man. It was just _easier_ to keep the whole thing under wraps!"

"Excuse me," announced Xlgta sharply, "but I do not care what your reasons were for keeping the matter from Lightyear. I demand to know why you never said anything to _me_!"

Nebula threw his hands in the air. "‘Cause you’d take it just as bad as Zurg! You went on and on about how much you loved the empress and her family! You think I’d admit to killing one of them?"

With a snarl Xlgta suddenly threw herself at him. Nebula was almost knocked off his feet, but managed to steady himself and hold his ground as she tried to shove him down. Everything he’d taken into account should he ever need to fight her flashed through his mind. _She’s strong, but her energy will fade quickly. Just hang in there until that happens._

She was reaching for his head, as if meaning to crush it between her hands. He didn’t doubt that she could. Grabbing her wrists, he tried to hold her back. She growled and clawed the air. He could almost hear her brittle bones creaking under the strain as she pulled against his grip. They grunted and danced around the room, knocking a stack of books off the desk. Xlgta yanked a hand free and slammed the back of it against Nebula’s face, knocking him down.

"Ugh!" He hit the floor. _Just when my back was finally recovering from that big fight with the Hornets..._

Xlgta bent over him and raised her talons, ready to slash them across his neck. More out of instinct than forethought, Nebula kicked one of her legs and sent her sprawling. Before she could haul herself back up, he pinned her down, smashing a fist into her face where her jaw would be if she’d had one. Blood seeped from her grill-like mouth.

"Get off me!" she hissed, digging her claws into his arms. He cried out in pain and she rolled free.

"Enough!" shouted Buzz. "You two, stop it!"

Xlgta ignored him and lunged at Nebula again. He jumped out the way, letting her almost crash into the metal wall. She managed to stop herself in time and spun around, making another run at him. As she charged, he held up his pegleg and prepared to fire.

"Oh, good grief." With a sigh, Ozma stepped between them, blocking Xlgta’s advance and Nebula’s line of fire. "What do you think you are, a pair of territorial sabre stags? If you’re going to fight, take it outside my house."

Gasping for breath, both Nebula and Xlgta halted their attacks. They eyed each other for a long moment. "This is getting us nowhere," said Nebula at last.

Xlgta wiped the blood from her mouth. "That woman was the closest thing I ever had to a child of my own," she whispered. "I would have given my life for her."

"I’m sorry. If I could’ve avoided killing her, I would have, I swear."

"She should not have died." Xlgta seemed to be shaking. "She deserved better! She was born to be an empress—she never got her chance!"

"That’s the way life goes sometimes," said Ozma, still standing between them, her arms folded. "An endless cycle of birth and death. Not everyone gets what they want."

"I promised her mother I would protect her!"

"And you did!" argued Nebula. "She survived your civil war, didn’t she? You got her through that! How many years did you add to her life ‘cause you wouldn’t surrender until you knew she and Zurg were safe? You lived up to your promise!"

Xlgta put her gloves back on with unsteady hands. "It wasn’t enough..."

"Zurg’s still alive," Nebula continued. "You can still save him."

"Not with our help." It was Buzz who’d spoken. "Zurg is going down, one way or another. I’m not risking the rest of the galaxy just to see he’s brought in safely."

There was a look of despair on Xlgta’s face. "But can you not now see how this is all your own fault?" she howled. "Zurg never meant to become the creature he is now—he could have been a good man! We were the ones who pushed him into this life! My actions led to him being stranded in this galaxy, and the commander murdered the one person he had left in his life! Your Galactic Alliance has never let him rule his empire in peace, always trying to take it away from him! You brand him a freak! And you," she glared at Buzz. "You goad him on with all your taunts and your games! Would he have persisted for so long after failing so many times if you did not make it so _rewarding_? If he did not live to see your defeat?" She sighed. "We have a responsibility to him for what we have done."

"Oh, we have a responsibility, alright," said Buzz. "A responsibility to see he never hurts another living soul again. No one forced him to do any of the things he did! Sure, we may all have had a hand in shaping him, but that’s true of every person in the universe. People don’t make themselves on their own—the world around them changes who they are. But the one thing we all have in common is a choice. A choice to do good or a choice to do evil. We all know which one Zurg took."

"He suffered through so much!"

"You think he’s the only one?" Buzz snorted. "Ma’am, I grew up with a dirt-poor junkie mother who died while I was still a little kid. I drove away two of my best friends, and the man I trusted most in the universe betrayed me to my worst enemy. Everything I fought for has fallen apart around me—are you saying I haven’t suffered? The difference is I use that suffering to drive myself forward as a Ranger. He lets it drive him toward evil."

Nebula looked at Buzz with pride. His Ranger was saying everything he’d tried to tell Xlgta all along. Some days he couldn’t believe how privileged he was to have someone as noble as Lightyear serving under him.

"And as for you." Buzz suddenly turned on Nebula. "All this time I respected you. I trusted you with my life, sir, and I thought we could be totally frank with each other. Yet I always seem to be discovering new things you’ve kept from me—the XL project, Star Command’s secret control centre, and now this. It makes me wonder what else you haven’t seen fit to tell me." He clenched his jaw. "I’ve served under you over twenty years. I’m owed more than this!"

Nebula sighed. "I know, son, I know..."

"Don’t call me that! You’ve lost that right, Commander—save it for someone who wants it, like XR. If you ever decide he’s good enough for you." There was a deep anger flashing in Buzz’s eyes. "Let me tell you something, that little bot you’re always writing off as a screw-up is one of the finest Rangers I’ve ever had the honour of serving with. At least I don’t have to be ashamed I ever called _him_ a friend!"

Nebula backed away. "Look, Buzz, you don’t understand..."

"What’s not to understand? All this time we thought Zurg was a great mystery, but you knew exactly how he got here. You knew why he hated us! And yet you didn’t say anything about it, because your team took the easy way out and pretended it never happened," said Buzz. "To protect the Alliance, you betrayed all the ideals of honesty and integrity it was supposed to stand for! And you didn’t even have the guts to admit it to your most loyal Ranger!"

"It was ancient history by the time you showed up," muttered Nebula. "I didn’t... I didn’t think it would ever come up again... Even Zurg didn’t realise I was the one who killed her. No one had to know..."

Xlgta glared at him. "And you think that makes it right?"

"It just means it was more convenient to let sleeping Raenoks lie!"

"We have a duty to do the right thing," insisted Buzz. "Regardless of the consequences. The ends don’t justify the means."

"Oh yeah?" Nebula put his hands on his hips. "And you’re saying you’re not doing the exact same thing here by selling out to this evil Buzz and his thugs?"

Buzz hesitated. "It’s a completely different situation!" he argued. "The whole galaxy is at stake!"

"Huh, so it takes a whole galaxy before the ends _do_ justify the means?"

"No, I... that’s not what I mean!"

"Then what do you mean?"

There was a pause. "I mean I want you to get off this planet," stated Buzz. "Now."

Nebula stared at him, wondering if he’d heard right. "You’re throwing me out?"

"You’re not welcome here."

"I’m your commander!"

"Not anymore. There’s no Star Command out here—just me and my Rangers. Who do you think they’re more likely to listen to?"

_No contest. I may be the commander, but I was never a living legend._ Nebula sighed. "Buzz, please..."

"Get back to your ship. Both of you," Buzz added to Xlgta. "Fly away and don’t come back."

Ozma touched his arm. "Buzz, are you sure about this?"

"Dead sure."

Nebula had known Buzz too long to hope he wasn’t serious. There was no chance of changing his mind. "Fine, we’ll go," he said at last. "But when your little alliance backfires—and it will, Buzz, you can count on that—don’t say I didn’t warn you."

"I can handle the consequences of my choices. Unlike some people."

They stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, Nebula sighed and turned away. "Good luck, Lightyear. For what it’s worth, I hope you do succeed." Buzz didn’t answer. Nebula moved to Xlgta. "Am I still welcome on your ship, or do I have to go live out in the jungle or something?"

"You can come with me," she answered coldly. "I may still have some use for you. And I... I do know what it is to make unpleasant choices. But do not think you are forgiven."

_So what else is new?_ Nodding, Nebula followed her out. He paused in the doorway to offer a salute to Buzz and Ozma. Ozma gave him a half-hearted wave in reply, but Buzz turned his back.

_What have I lost,_ he wondered, remembering everything he’d shared with that man. So many adventures, so many triumphs and failures. Long before XL and XR came along, Buzz had been the son his personal life had never given him. He loved him—he wasn’t ashamed to admit it. But did Buzz still share any of that love?

They trudged out the base. "Where to now?" he asked Xlgta.

"I do not know." Clearly none of this had been factored into her plans. There was still ice in her voice as she spoke, but at least she seemed to have made up her mind not to kill him. "We must find somewhere to stay and work out a new course of action."

As they headed back to her shuttle, the rain finally stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments so far!


	53. Chapter 52

There was a chill in the air when Mira awoke that morning. She snuggled deeper under the covers, relishing the warmth they provided. _The first hint of autumn,_ she thought happily. She loved autumn—it was a boring season on Tangea, bringing little change to the tropical environment, but here on Capital Planet the leaves turned beautiful sunset hues and rained down from the branches as winter approached. They formed brown drifts beneath the trees and carpeted the streets, crunching underfoot wherever you stepped. It was one of her favourite times of year.

Then she remembered everything that had happened in the past few weeks, and her heart sank. The knowledge always took awhile to hit her, even after all this time—she supposed she still couldn’t quite believe it. _No more fun autumns,_ she thought. _Just the same old dreary routine under Zurg._

Zurg—he was leaving that day. The emperor had told her he was going back to Planet Z, news she’d greeted with a certain amount of private elation. It wouldn’t make a huge difference to daily life on Capital Planet—Zurg was hardly intimately involved in the running of the planet, though his dirty fingerprints covered every aspect of society now—but just knowing he was hundreds of lightyears away would make her breathe a little easier. _Maybe we’ll be able to bring back some sense of normality with him gone._

She pulled back the covers and started towards her wardrobe to get dressed, then stopped. Was that it? Was that the best they could hope for? Some new kind of almost-normal? Just shut your eyes and pretend your life wasn’t being controlled by a purple tyrant?

_No. It’s not good enough!_ Something had to be done—she was sure of it now. The question of _what_ still plagued her though. _I need to find someone who can help us!_

But who in the galaxy had the power to rival Zurg? The only force that sprang to mind was the Raenok warrior legion, and they’d already explored that option. She’d almost thought she had a chance with them, but then XR had screwed it all up with his smart mouth. _Maybe they’ve forgotten about that, though... maybe, just maybe, we could still get them on our side..._

She flung open the closet and worked quickly, putting on a smart black suit. She’d taken to wearing a lot of formal clothes as part of her job. She wasn’t sure yet how she felt in them, but they did lend an air of professionalism. They made her feel more capable in a job she was becoming increasingly convinced she wasn’t cut out for. Buttoning up the jacket, she checked her appearance in the mirror and tied up her long orange hair behind her head. A sense of purpose filled her that had been lacking for a long time.

Once she was fully prepared for the day, she strode into the living room. XR was there, vacuuming the floor with a dust-buster attachment he’d pulled from his chest. He avoided meeting her gaze.

"XR," she greeted, deciding it was time to put aside their disagreements. "Forget the carpet. You’re coming with me to the Senate."

The hum of the vacuum ceased. He looked up at her with confusion written over his face. "The Senate? Why? What do you need me for? I thought I only got in the way and did everything wrong..."

"Oh, quit whining and follow me. I’ll fill you in when we’re there." _Gosh, it kinda feels nice giving orders like that._ Even as governor of the Alliance, she wasn’t used to being so forceful.

They left the apartment and took Mira’s pink convertible to the Senate. She hadn’t driven it in awhile—she usually walked. Patting the dashboard, she thought about how much she loved the little vehicle. It felt good to be flying it again.

Parking just outside the front steps, she flashed their passes to the Grubs at the door and marched in. _This is my domain now,_ she realised, striding through the halls. _Time to start acting like it._

"Good morning, Nova," called Senator Hammerhold, passing her as she turned a corner.

She nodded to him. "Morning, Senator. How’s your daughter? Did she get back from her latest mission okay?"

He shrugged. "She’s... alright. Some of the things she’s seeing on those ravaged worlds like Rhizome are hitting her hard, though." He looked away.

"Yeah, I can imagine." _I’m so glad I’m not out there to see them. It’s bad enough hearing about it._ "Well, see you at the big send-off later. I’m sure Zurg’ll want all the senators to be there."

She continued walking and led XR into her office, then shut the door firmly behind her. The little robot was still staring at her like she had a giant piece of popcorn stuck in her teeth or had gone to work wearing her pyjamas. "Mira, what’s going on?" he asked, sounding apprehensive. "You’re up to something, aren’t you?"

"Gee, it’s not that obvious, is it?" She grinned. "Yes, XR, I’m up to something. Something I should’ve done ages ago."

"Yeah?"

"I’m gonna get help."

He blinked. "From where?"

"The Raenoks."

"What? But, Mira... don’t you remember...?"

She nodded. "I know, I know, but it’s worth another shot. What else do we have? I’m not gonna sit by another day and let things slide. It’s time to start fighting back."

"If Zurg finds out..."

"He’s not going to."

XR frowned. "But he’s monitoring all the comm channels."

"We won’t be using the comm channels." Kneeling down, she touched his shoulder. XR was looking at her with a pair of very nervous optics. She wanted to pull him into a hug. "I’m gonna go visit them in person."

He jerked away. "Are you crazy?!"

"It’s our best shot! If I go out there myself, risking my own life, they’ll respect that. Raenok culture honours bravery," she said. "I just might be able to convince them to join us..."

"No." XR shook his head vigorously. "You can’t do it, Mira! It’s the Planet X thing all over again—you’ll get caught, just like XL was!"

"That’s a risk I’m willing to take."

"You don’t even have a ship!"

Good point. She hadn’t thought of that. "I... I’ll get one somehow."

XR shook his head again. "This is crazy, Mira! There’s no way you’ll pull it off!" He looked at her pleadingly. "Zurg’s already taken my brother. I don’t want... you know... I-I’d miss you if anything happened to you."

"I’ll be fine." She patted him again. "Zurg’s not gonna find it easy to catch Space Ranger Mira Nova."

"But there’s still a chance he might." XR’s robotic lips wobbled. "If he catches you, he’ll kill you!"

She knew he was right. Zurg had implied only the previous evening that he’d have no qualms about executing her if she proved unreliable. Making a run for Raenok would give him all the justification he’d need. _And then what would happen to XR,_ she wondered. _Would Zurg bother keeping him around if I was dead?_

It was probably the dumbest, wildest, riskiest idea she’d ever had. But she was out of choices.

"How long do you think it’ll take for him to notice you’re gone?" persisted XR. "Lemme tell you, Zurg’s a smart one. He’ll realise you’re not here before you can say, ‘death by firing squad’, and he’ll know something’s up."

"That’s why I want to go today," she told him. "With all the chaos surrounding Zurg’s departure, I might just be able to leave unnoticed. It’s the best shot I’m ever gonna get." _And if this fails, cosmos help us._

"Who’ll look after the Galactic Alliance while you’re gone?"

She sighed. "That’s why I brought you with me today." Sitting down beside him on the floor, she tried to smile. "XR, I know we’ve argued a lot lately. I’ve gotten pretty mad at you, and you think I’ve been taking stupid risks. But we need to put all that behind us now. You know I love you, right?"

His eyes widened. "You love me?"

"Not like that, you idiot!" She smacked him playfully. "You’re one of my best friends. You’re the only friend I’ve got right now. And despite our... issues, I still trust you completely."

A mix of emotions played across his face. He still looked so lost and frightened, but there was pride in there too. He stood up a little straighter, his chest out.

"I have something very big, and, um, well, very important to ask of you," Mira continued. "I need you to hold the fort for me while I’m gone. I dunno how long it’ll take, but while I’m away you have to run the Galactic Alliance. Yeah, I know, it’s a huge responsibility, but I wouldn’t be giving it to you if I didn’t think you could handle it. Just go to some of the senators if you need any help—Aarrfvox is a good man—and try to keep my absence secret as long as possible. When people ask where I am, just say I’m in a meeting or in the bathroom or something." _Gosh, I could be gone for days. I hope you can keep up the act that long, XR. At least you’re good at making up excuses._ She smiled at him.

He was still trembling. "I don’t want you to go," he whispered.

"I know, I know, I don’t wanna go either, trust me." Her own mouth was quivering and her eyes were getting watery. She wished she was as good at being strong and tough as Buzz. "But I’ve got to do this, XR, I’m sorry."

They stared at each other a long time. "So where are you gonna get the ship?" asked XR at last.

"I think I can help with that."

They both jumped when the door opened. Mira leaped to her feet, reaching for a wrist laser that wasn’t there. _Aw, craters! Stupid civvies!_ Growling, she lowered her arm and was about to reach for the sharp letter opener on her desk when she realised who had entered and relaxed. "Senator Hammerhold—what are you doing here?"

"Sorry for startling you." He held up his hands. "I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation."

"That’s a thick wooden door, pal," said XR, wagging a finger. "You were eavesdropping!"

The senator shrugged. "Maybe I was."

"I hope you’ve got a good reason." Mira eyed him suspiciously. Would he sell them out to Zurg? She didn’t think he was the type, but people could do strange things when they thought they had something to gain by it.

"I saw that look in your eyes when we spoke earlier," he told her. "I knew you were planning something."

Great, so it _was_ that obvious. Thank goodness she hadn’t passed Zurg in the hall. "Yeah? And?"

"And I want to help," he said.

Mira folded her arms. "Why? Don’t get me wrong, Senator, I’ve always thought you were pretty okay for a politician, but why would you help us commit treason against Zurg? You’ll be putting your own daughter at risk!"

He gulped. "Petra wouldn’t be involved."

"Doesn’t matter to Zurg. He’ll punish her if he finds out, just to hurt _you_."

Hammerhold fiddled nervously with his jacket, straightening the wrinkles from it. "I know," he whispered.

"Then why would you offer to help?" Mira had never pictured herself as a parent before, but she knew if she ever did have a child, she would do anything to keep them safe. Something didn’t add up here.

"For her. She deserves to live in a free galaxy."

Mira shook her head. "No, there’s more to it than that. Be honest with me, Senator—I’m in no mood for games."

There was a time when XR would’ve winced at such bluntness towards a powerful political figure, but he was nodding alongside her as she spoke. "Yeah, buddy! Answer the lady!"

Pain seemed to flash across Hammerhold’s face. At last he sighed and sat down in one of the chairs next to Mira’s desk. "It’s a long story..."

She took her own seat. "Start at the beginning."

"Well... a few months ago, one of Zurg’s agents contacted me."

Mira let a small gasp slip through her lips. _A few months? That was long before any of this started._

Avoiding eye contact, Hammerhold continued, "Zurg wanted information. He said that with Smoltz gone, he needed a man on the inside again. He’d selected me."

"What did you say?"

"I said no, of course! What do you think, Ranger?"

XR folded his arms. "Not exactly Zurg’s favourite answer."

"You got that right. He wouldn’t accept it." Hammerhold looked away. "He... he started threatening my daughter..."

_Oh no._ Mira knew where the conversation was heading. "So you finally agreed?"

"I-I had no choice! Petra’s the only family I have! I couldn’t let her get hurt."

She nodded. "Did you start slipping Zurg information?"

"Yes." His voice was heavy with shame. "Just little things, of course—nothing of any value."

"Let me guess, Zurg started wanting more?"

He swallowed and played with the papers on her desk, tidying the stacks. "It’s bigger than you think, Ranger Nova. When he contacted me again, he didn’t just want information, he wanted something far greater..."

Mira’s eyebrows knotted together. "What?"

"The president of the Galactic Alliance."

_Sweet Mother of Venus!_ It all fell into place. They’d known from the start that the president’s "assassination" had to be an inside job, but they’d never found the culprit. It had all become academic after the president turned out to be alive and Zurg had taken over the Alliance. She’d forgotten the matter completely.

"He made me rendevous with Warp Darkmatter at a secret location outside Alliance space. I smuggled Darkmatter onto Capital Planet and into the Senate building, and he captured the president and took her away. That’s how Zurg got her. After that, I set off the bomb myself so everyone would think she was dead," Hammerhold explained. "It was all my fault. This entire disaster has been my fault! Our bad luck started with her disappearance and everything’s gone downhill from there!"

Mira stared at him in disbelief as his words sunk in. All this time Hammerhold had been the one responsible for the event that sparked off the terrible chain of events they were now living through. She wasn’t sure if she was angry, bitter, or just felt sorry for him.

"I had to do it," he said, stifling a sob. "Zurg would’ve killed my girl!"

What could she say to that? Should she tell him he should’ve let Zurg hurt Petra rather than sell out the Alliance? Would she have done any differently in his place? _I know my own father wouldn’t have,_ she thought. _He would do anything to protect me, right up to betraying the Galactic Alliance or even the entire_ universe _to Zurg. And I could never hold it against him._

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked at last. "Do... do you want forgiveness? Is that it? Are you looking for redemption by helping us?"

Hammerhold was silent awhile. "Maybe," he said. "I don’t know. I just want this all to be over."

"Me too." She sighed. "Look, I’m not... you know, I’m not really in a position to grant you, uh, for-forgiveness. It’s not me you betrayed. But if I could give it to you, I... I would."

"Thank you." He exhaled loudly. "I have a ship—my personal diplomatic cruiser. Consider it yours."

That was one problem solved. Mira took his hand and shook it gratefully. "I’ll make sure you don’t regret this," she told him. "I’ll tell Ranger Parsec to safeguard your daughter personally. He won’t let anything happen to her, I promise."

Hammerhold thanked her. "Her safety’s all I care about," he said. "Zurg can do what he likes to me. I just want Petra to be okay."

"She will be," nodded Mira. "And with any luck, no one will find out you helped us. Your other secret’s safe with me too, by the way," she added. "If we somehow win this, I won’t tell anyone what you did."

"I appreciate that," said Hammerhold. "But if the universe grants us a miracle and we do win... I might just turn myself in anyway."

"You’re an honourable man, Senator."

XR cleared his throat to get their attention. "So where’s the ship?"

* * *

A lot of diplomats were escorted by star cruisers when they travelled to important offworld functions—something Team Lightyear knew all too well, having ferried them around on a number of unpleasant occasions—but many also had their own private transport. The ships were berthed in a small hangar a short distance from the Alliance Plaza, and it didn’t take long for the trio to get there. XR was glad he was made of metal as they crossed the chilly streets—the air had a decidedly nippy feel to it, the kind that made organics break out in goosebumps.

When they reached the hangar, it was deserted. There should’ve been a security guard on duty, but Hammerhold told Mira he’d been injured in the bombing and they hadn’t hired a replacement yet. "Not considered a priority," he said "The Senate has too much else on its plate."

"For once that’s an advantage for us." Mira stepped back to let him slide in his entry key, then they pulled back the huge metal doors, which rattled loudly as they slid open. XR hoped no one was nearby to hear.

Their footsteps echoed in the high-ceilinged room when they walked in. Hammerhold led them to his cruiser and opened the hatch, hopping in to input his security codes. "Just a moment and then she’s yours," he said.

Mira nodded. "Thank you again. This means a lot to me."

_She’s really going to go through with this._ XR watched Mira circle around the craft, inspecting it from every angle to make sure it was spaceworthy. She seemed determined to carry out her plan. _And where does that leave me? The flunkie who gets punished when Zurg finds out she’s gone?_

Truth be told, he was more worried about her. He could take whatever Zurg decided to dish out—he was a robot. He’d been blown up more times than a balloon at a kid’s birthday party. You got used to it. But Mira was a fragile organic, and he was terrified she might get hurt. _What if she just doesn’t come back? What if she flies away and I never see her again?_ If that happened, maybe he’d be better off being shut down by Zurg than living a life without his friends. He’d already lost his dad...

"Do you think the Raenoks will listen?" asked Hammerhold, as he activated all the ship’s systems.

"I dunno." Mira shrugged. "They might shoot me down before I get anywhere near their planet. I, uh, I’ve kinda been thinking over all the things that c-could go wrong, and there are kind of a lot. But I’ll do my best." She unclasped her briefcase and checked through it. "Just a few supplies I brought," she shrugged. "Nothing much, but it’ll have to do. I hope I’m not gone too long..."

XR watched her. She was trying to be brave, just like she always was, but he knew she was shaking on the inside. No matter what she said, she didn’t actually want to do this. _She just thinks she_ has _to._ He admired her for that.

"The systems are all ready," Hammerhold announced. "I’ve taken out all the passwords and voice controls. Anyone can fly her now."

XR raised an eyebrow. A thought occurred to him.

"Thank you." Mira held out a hand, and Hammerhold shook it. "I just hope this works."

"Me too," he nodded. "You’ll... you’ll see my daughter is protected, won’t you?"

"Already written a note for XR to hand to Ty. Petra will be fine." Straightening her appearance one last time, Mira looked around the hangar, drinking in the sights. Her hands fidgeted as she held the briefcase. "Well, um, I, uh, I guess this is it..."

XR studied her, thinking back to all the times he’d been a coward, all the times he’d run from danger. Here she was, ready to run straight into it for the greater good. He didn’t think he’d ever loved her more. _Is this how Booster feels about Buzz?_ he wondered. He’d never been one for the whole hero worship thing, but right then he understood it.

"I’ll see you again soon," Mira promised, bending down. Her arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace, and he was reminded of when she’d hugged him just before the shuttle had collided with Zurg’s ship. They’d thought they were about to die then, and he wished the feeling now wasn’t quite so similar. "Keep out of trouble, won’t you, little guy?"

"You betcha," he promised, trying not to choke on the words. Somehow he even managed a small salute. "Can I run any illegal poker nights while you’re gone?"

"Not a chance," she laughed, her voice unsteady. "See you around, ‘kay?"

He nodded. She turned to Hammerhold to say her goodbyes to him. Now was his chance.

Scooting up the ramp and into the cruiser, he began flipping all the switches that activated the engine. Luckily Hammerhold already had everything up and running and ready for lift off, otherwise it would’ve taken him a good few minutes to get the ship going. He felt a surge of relief as the thrusters fired up.

"XR!" Mira shouted, whipping around. "What in Saturn’s rings are you doing?!" She scrambled towards the vessel, dropping the briefcase in her rush.

"Sorry, Mira," he gulped, pulling a lever. "They need you here—but no one needs a useless robot like me. See you around!" The hatch slid closed as Mira tried to run up the ramp. Quickly getting the ship airborne before his friend could ghost in, he turned it towards the open doors and blasted out. _I just hope none of Zurg’s goons are watching right now._

He raced towards the clouds, glad piloting was one of the few training courses he’d passed with flying colours—it helped that it didn’t involve much spelling. The ship rose higher and higher, leaving the city behind it and pushing through layers of cloud vapour. Up above, a black void was waiting for him. He was amazed when he eventually found himself in it, still uncontested by any of Zurg’s ships. He’d actually gotten off the planet without being shot at! There was a whole fleet in orbit, however, but he tried to put them out of his mind. Hammerhold had earlier received permission to leave the planet, under the pretext of visiting his daughter on Star Command. If he was lucky, the fleet had already been informed of this. XR hoped Zurg’s people would only realise something screwy was going on after he was long gone.

Pausing to calm his hammering mechanics, he surveyed the starry expanse around him. It was just him and the universe now. With a shaking finger he plotted in his course. _Raenok, here I come._

* * *

Mira stared up at the rapidly-shrinking speck in the sky. She was so taken aback she could barely think. XR... XR had hijacked the ship and flown off without her!

"What’s that lunatic robot doing?" demanded Hammerhold.

She opened and closed her mouth. The ship was gone now, too high for even her large eyes to pinpoint. "I-I-I think... um, I think he was protecting me..."

"He took the ship without even asking!"

"That’s XR for you." She tried to laugh. The sound stuck in her throat.

Hammerhold looked at her, concerned. "Do you think he’ll make it? Can that robot of all people convince the Raenoks to side with us?"

"I don’t know..." If he’d asked her before, she’d have confessed she wouldn’t bet on it. But for him to be willing to steal the ship right in front of them like that, he had to be pretty determined. "I hope so," she said at last. _I hope Varg’s in a forgiving mood._

"If he fails, he takes our only chance with him," pointed out Hammerhold. "Idiot—how could he do that to us?"

Mira felt her fists tightening. "Don’t talk that way about XR, okay?" she snapped. "I don’t know if he’s doing the right thing, but he _thinks_ he is, and that’s more than you can say!"

"I was protecting my daughter! It may not have been right, but I’d do it again!"

She took a deep breath. "Okay, yeah, okay, I know... I’m sorry. What’s done is done. But don’t you ever say anything like that about XR again." With effort, she held back her tears. "He’s my friend."

"What do we do now?" the senator sighed.

"We go back to the Senate." Mira checked the time. Zurg would be leaving soon. They had to be there to see him off. Hopefully all his minions were too busy preparing for his departure to notice a small shuttle leaving the planet. "We smile, pretend everything’s okay, and we don’t say a word about XR. Got it?"

Hammerhold nodded.

"Good." Mira stared at the sky again. "Good luck, XR," she whispered.


	54. Chapter 53

The Ambassador Hotel was bustling with activity that morning. You couldn’t take a step without running into a Grub rushing off on some errand, or tripping over an article of purple luggage that one of the bellhops had forgotten in the lobby. With Zurg and his personal staff leaving, everything was thrown into chaos as the workers frantically prepared for the grand departure.

One Grub wasn’t scurrying about wildly like a moozle on ice skates, however. Though he usually kept up a more frenetic pace than his colleagues, One-Two was sober and quiet that morning. He plodded rather than bounded up steps, and sometimes had to be reminded twice to carry out his given tasks because he was so lost in his own thoughts.

He hadn’t realised how much he’d grown to like the place, he thought, as he wandered through the hotel. It felt almost like... like a home. Which was ridiculous, of course, because Grubs didn’t have homes. They had their assigned sleeping quarters and that was that. He’d started life in one such place, a crowded communal room above a munitions factory on Planet Z. It got so full at night that there was barely space to roll over, but he’d enjoyed the company of his fellow workers. Then he’d applied himself diligently to his tasks, and eventually he was noticed by the overseers and moved up in the ranks. He moved from factory to factory until he ended up in the palace itself, a rare honour. He could still remember the first time he’d met the Evil Emperor Zurg—how his knees had shaken! None of the other hatchlings he’d grown up with had ever been granted such a privilege. The emperor himself had spoken to little old Grub 128112, and even patted his head and told him he was doing a good job! He could’ve died that day, and he wouldn’t have even minded, because his life would have been complete.

Things had only gotten better from there on out though—he made it onto Zurg’s senior staff, became his personal assistant, and he even got his very own, _private_ sleeping quarters! It was everything he’d ever dreamed of—status, excitement, responsibility... even a little adventure. He got to meet the former president of the Galactic Alliance! Was that not a life anyone would give their right antenna to live?

_So why don’t I feel better about it?_ He pouted, following the passage that led to the president’s room. _Why do I feel... like things aren’t the way they’re supposed to be?_

It wasn’t right. Grubs weren’t supposed to feel anything. They were just supposed to do their jobs.

He paused at the door and held up his hand to knock. It was all her doing, wasn’t it? Or maybe it was the place. Capital Planet had a way of getting inside your head and changing it. It was just so different from everything he’d ever known. Hesitantly, he rapped on the wooden door.

"Is it time?" he heard the president sigh wearily.

"Yes." The door creaked as he slowly pushed it open. "Are you ready to go?"

She was standing by the window, looking out on the world as she so often did. He wondered how much she missed being a part of it. "Everything’s packed," she said.

"Good. I’ll carry your bags for you." She didn’t have many possessions—mostly just extra clothes. One-Two knew he could manage them easily, and he never felt good unless he was being properly useful in some way. It was what he did. He served.

She let him bundle the cases into his skinny arms. She hadn’t moved from her spot. "Do we really have to go?" Her head hung in resignation, as if she already knew the answer.

"It’s what Zurg wants." And that was all that mattered, wasn’t it? Everyone lived to serve the emperor. His will had to be obeyed.

"If I go to Planet Z again," said the president slowly, "I may never come back home. I feel it in my bones, child. If I leave, it’ll be for the last time."

She was probably right. Zurg would either keep her locked up forever, or he’d have her killed when she stopped amusing him. There was little chance of him allowing her to return to Capital Planet. One-Two didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded.

"It’s alright, I suppose," she continued, after a long pause. "It’s what I deserve. I lost the right to call this place home after I gave Zurg those codes."

The defense codes. One-Two couldn’t understand why she was still so hung up about that. It wasn’t as if she were a servant betraying her master’s secrets. If that had been the case, she would’ve been right to be ashamed. But she was the leader of the Galactic Alliance—she could give out whatever codes she wanted. He knew Zurg would’ve done the same to save himself, had he been in her place. Dropping the luggage, he reached out and clasped the pale green skin of her hand. "Don’t say that," he whispered. "You don’t deserve... I mean, you shouldn’t— It’s, uh, well it’s okay." _Oh dear, I really made a mess of that._ Why did he have such a stupid tongue?

She smiled, gripping his little hand in hers. "Thank you, child."

"If... if it makes you feel any better," he said, swallowing nervously, "you did save that prisoner’s life..."

"What?" A puzzled look crossed her face. "What do you mean?"

"The Rhizomian girl Zurg threatened to kill if you didn’t cooperate. He let her go after you gave him the codes."

"He did?" She seemed stunned, and One-Two couldn’t blame her. Zurg wasn’t exactly big on keeping his promises.

He nodded. "Sure did! I saw her leave myself. He put her back on Rhizome after we conquered it."

Letting out a long breath, the president dropped onto her bed. "I’m glad _something_ good came out of that. I still should’ve held out... but..."

One-Two gathered up the bags again. "You didn’t do so badly, huh?"

"I still betrayed my people."

"Yeah, but you helped that prisoner. I bet she’s glad you did that." Why did he want to comfort her, One-Two mentally berated himself. He shouldn’t care how she felt about anything!

The woman looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Is it worth selling out everything you hold dear to save one person? I don’t think I know the answer to that."

He stared at her, his hands suddenly shaking. He realised he _did_ know the answer, or at least the answer to a similar question he’d been asking himself, and it terrified him. "Wait here," he gulped, putting down the luggage again and ducking into the hall. It was empty. Good.

"What in the world are you up to, child?" she demanded when he returned.

"Just do what I say," he whispered, grabbing a few bags and shoving the rest into her arms. "Come on!"

He led her furtively into the corridor. Sounds of commotion could be heard below, but the level they were on was mercifully deserted. One-Two glanced at the elevator, then shook his head and headed for the stairs.

"Where are we going? Isn’t Zurg waiting for us?"

"He is," nodded One-Two. He knew what he had to do now. That feeling of satisfaction he’d been missing for so long had at last returned. "But we’re not going to see him. I’m going to get you out of here!"

* * *

There was an awful lot of packing to do—far more stuff was being loaded onto his ship than he remembered taking with him. That was always the case with vacations. You ended up with piles of useless junk that you just hadn’t been able to resist picking up from those nifty little gift shops at the spaceport. Of course, conquering a planet wasn’t quite the same as a trip to Mahambas VI, but the principle was similar enough. Zurg tutted to himself, adjusting his reading glasses as he checked the labels on various boxes. Oh, good, his sock collection was safe and accounted for! He checked it off the list.

He’d been up since early that morning, and there was still so much to get done before they could set off. At least his lackeys seemed to understand his desire for haste, though the occasional breaking sound he heard in the distance told him they might be a little _too_ enthusiastic in that regard. Oh well, if anyone broke anything important he’d see they suffered for it. A nice punishment session was just what he needed to get back into the swing of things when they returned to Planet Z.

He was already itching to get onto his ship and fly away. Home awaited—home and its stale, smoggy air; its crimson skies which buzzed with electricity; its grimy, soot-covered steel buildings... Ah, there was nowhere like it in the universe!

It was hard to believe there had ever been a time when he hadn’t felt so connected to that red ball of rock. It hadn’t always been his refuge, his seat of power—once it had been his prison. A personal hell just for him.

_But like everything else in my life, I turned that around._

He remembered the first night he’d spent on the planet. The wind had howled, stirring up dust over the dunes, and he’d buried himself deeper inside the wrecked ship and pulled his robes over his face. He thought he would never sleep, but somehow a dreamless dark had taken hold of him, and when his eyes opened the wind had stopped and the landscape was bathed in a dim light. The black clouds held back most of the sun’s rays, but enough came through to tell him it was morning. He rose.

The body was still there, in the cockpit. She was still dead. He had forced himself to look, and gently he pulled her from craft, laying her out on the sand. Picking up a piece of shrapnel, he began scratching at the ground. The soil was loose and easily shovelled back. Once the hole was big enough, he lifted her body and placed it within the grave, resting her hands over her chest. If he could do nothing else, at least he could give her an honourable burial. After he’d filled in the hole, he set a large stone over it as a marker, and then allowed himself to rest.

His eyes roved the landscape. There was no hope of survival on the barren plains where they’d crashed—no food, no water. Only sand. _I must head for the mountains_ , he had decided. So he stumbled off across the wasteland, his own injuries still protesting, until at last he’d collapsed at the foot of a rocky incline. With what remained of his strength, he dragged himself up and found a crevice in the rocks. Settling into it, he let his battered body rest at last.

_I never would’ve thought then that I might one day belong to that world so utterly._ It was fitting, though—Planet Z was the perfect reflection of himself; a forgotten world, empty and bleak, but with the potential for greatness.

He’d had no love for the place when he first arrived, however, and on the second day he’d named the planet Xrgthung, meaning Nothing. _Planet Nothing._ Now the joke was on the rest of the universe. That nothing planet was the centre of his empire—an empire that stretched across almost the whole galaxy! When he left Capital Planet, _it_ would become nothing. All the power would reside on Planet Z.

It felt good. It was poetic justice in a way, if one believed in concepts like justice. After bringing him so low, his foes were at last being brought down themselves.

After checking through another load of boxes, he decided the packing was going smoothly enough without the need for his oversight, so he turned away and strolled across the Plaza. His image rippled across the twin pools as he passed, and the statue of himself stood proud and ominous above the scene. The city centre was a very different place from what had it had been when he’d first visited it four years ago, back when he’d almost extracted a surrender from the Alliance through his planet destroyer. Now his mark was clear, scratched indelibly into the fragile surface of this supposedly utopian society. Even if he tripped on the steps and died that very minute, they would never be able to erase the stains he’d left.

His hands clasped behind his back, he continued walking. There were crowds gathered around the Plaza, held back by Hornet patrols. Hopeful expressions flitted across some of the weary faces he saw. _Oh, those poor fools._ He chuckled to himself. _They think things will be easier now that I’m leaving. As if! Their suffering is only just beginning._

He would grind them all into the dirt. That’s what he’d do—he’d slowly transform the rest of the galaxy into an extension of Planet Z. Factories would rise up, people would work themselves to the bone for him, and he would use their sweat and toil to build an army that would raise him to a higher throne than ever before. One galaxy could never be enough when a whole _universe_ existed within reach.

Glancing around, he suddenly realised something was missing. Mira Nova had promised to be at his send-off, and she still wasn’t present. _Just like her to be late, just to annoy me!_ He sniffed indignantly. Come to think of it, his assistant hadn’t arrived with the president yet either. If there was one thing Zurg couldn’t stand, it was tardiness.

Sighing and muttering under his breath, he stomped towards the hotel. He could see he was going to have to fetch them himself. _Never trust anyone else to do a job right,_ he thought. Even the best Grubs were still just Grubs—stupid and incompetent to the core.

* * *

The president could scarcely take in what was happening. One-Two led her down the back stairs, urging her to hurry and keep quiet. She was certain her heart was echoing as loudly as their footsteps in the empty stairwell as they descended. "Do you know where we’re going?" she whispered.

One-Two shrugged. "We just have to get out of the Imperial Plaza. There are less patrols in the rest of the city—once we’re free, I’ll find somewhere safe for you to stay. Maybe I can find a ship to take you away from here."

Freedom—did she even remember what it felt like? "Why are you doing this, One-Two?"

The Grub stopped. "Because."

"But if Zurg finds out..." She could only imagine the consequences. He could inflict any punishments he liked on her—she was beyond caring. A chance to escape was easily worth the risk of retribution (though part of her still recoiled at the memory of burning flesh and claws raking through her skin). But what would happen to this poor Grub if they were caught? "He’ll kill you, you know."

"Yes." One-Two nodded. "I know."

"You said you wouldn’t help me."

"I changed my mind." There was such simple conviction in his voice.

"Why?" They continued down the steps.

One-Two’s antennae twitched. "I... I had to," he said. "You were sad."

What did sadness mean to a Grub? He must have seen hundreds of people suffering during his time under Zurg. "But you serve your emperor. You told me you couldn’t defy him."

"I was... I was wrong." He swallowed. "I’m supposed to do what Zurg says, but this time... I didn’t want to. I wanted to help you instead. So I did." He was shaking. "I guess I-I’m like one of those defectors now, huh?"

She patted his shoulder. "I’m proud of you, honey."

"I used to be a good Grub..."

"You still are. You’re doing what’s right."

He shook his head. "I’m not doing my job... I’m a traitor. And the worst part is I don’t think I care."

They reached the bottom of the stairs. There was a locked door at the end, and One-Two pulled out his entry key. "There’s a Hornet outside," he told her. "It’s the only one on this side of the hotel, but we have to get rid of it."

The president nodded. "You go out first. Leave the Hornet to me."

Sliding his entry key through the lock, One-Two opened the door tentatively and approached the Hornet that was on guard. It swivelled its triangular head to look at him. "Er, excuse me," said One-Two. "Could you tell me what time it is? Emperor Zurg is waiting for me and I don’t want to be late."

While the robot was staring down at the Grub with its usual blank expression, the president flew out the building and slammed it to the ground. Before it could rise, she grabbed a piece of metal piping that lay in the trash-strewn alley and began pounding it across the Hornet’s yellow bodywork. Sparks flew and the robot convulsed as its systems went offline.

"How about that?" the president laughed, dropping the pipe when the Hornet finally stopped moving. "Did we show him or what, baby?" She raised a hand and One-Two stared at it, confused for a moment, before high-fiving it with his own.

"We make a good team!" he agreed.

The president looked around the alley. It was nice and secluded, situated at the back of the hotel and away from prying eyes. She took a deep breath. The air smelled so good outside.

"We’d better keep moving," said One-Two. "Zurg’s gonna be wondering where we are soon."

"Where do we go?"

"I know a few buildings that are empty right now, ‘cause they’re going to be demolished," he told her. "We can hide out there until we find a ship."

She bit her lower set of lips. "You don’t have to come with me, child. You can tell me where to go and then go back to Zurg. Pretend I escaped—maybe he won’t be too angry with you."

One-Two scuffed a foot across the concrete. "Yeah, I guess I could..." He shrugged. "But I don’t want to. I don’t want to work for Zurg anymore—I want to work for you."

_Two years after Zurg steals my chief of staff from me, and now I finally return the favour._ She could almost have laughed. Her smile was tired as she bent down and squeezed the Grub’s shoulder. "I don’t need anyone to work for me. Heck, baby, I can’t offer much job security when I don’t have a job myself! But if you want to be my friend, I’ll be glad to have you." _I haven’t had a real friend in a long time._

One-Two nodded eagerly. "I’ll be your friend. I’ll stick with you and we’ll get away from here and... and... and we’ll do _something_! Maybe we can even stop Zurg!"

"Well, let’s not get carried away." She rose from her knees. "We gotta get off this planet first."

"You wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye, would you? That is so rude."

A chill that flowed through her veins. She spun to face the voice, desperately hoping she’d imagined it. But no, there he stood, every bit as ugly and menacing as he always was.

"Evil Emperor!" One-Two squeaked, clinging to the president’s legs. He was shaking.

Zurg strode into the alley slowly, wrinkling his face as he stepped over a puddle. "Well, well, well, what’s all this? Here I’ve been waiting for you back at the landing site, worrying my head off because you hadn’t shown up, and what have you been doing? Playing a rather violent game of hockey with one of my Hornets, it seems! Those things cost money, you know. Just because I churn them out faster than bunnies make more bunnies doesn’t mean I can afford to have people vandalising them! That’s coming out of your salary, Grub!"

"Y-you don’t even pay me," One-Two whimpered.

"Oh, that’s right." Zurg laughed. "I’ll have to find some other way to extract compensation. I can think of a few already—how does being the test subject for the lab’s latest acid formula sound?" He turned to the president. "And as for _you_ —"

"I’m not going back with you to Planet Z." She put her hands on her hips.

"Not to worry, I won’t be taking you! Do you think I’d still want you along after how _ungrateful_ you’ve been to your hospitable host?" The pitch of his voice was just a little too high. She could tell he was genuinely furious. "Oh, no, no, no, I won’t be taking you _anywhere_!" His fingers curled into a fist. "I should’ve dealt with you a long time ago..."

So this was it. She’d been living on borrowed time ever since he’d captured her, and now her moment had come at last. At least she could say her final act had been one of defiance. "No matter what you do to me," she hissed, "no matter what you do to the Alliance, you’ll always be a pathetic, screwed-up loser. And, sooner or later, the people will rise up against you. Even your most loyal servants are losing respect for you and rebelling. The galaxy is tired of you, Zurg! Your reign won’t last forever!"

As she spoke he had tensed up, and now he lunged forward, grabbing a hold of the front of her coat and yanking her into the air. The fabric began to tear beneath his claws and he smashed her down against the wall. Her head hit the concrete with a force that made reality wobble around her.

_He’s going to kill me,_ she thought, but she couldn’t drag herself up.

As he raised his talons again, ready to strike, she suddenly saw a red-and-green shape bolt forward. It was One-Two. The little Grub slammed into Zurg, kicking at his feet and pummelling him with tiny fists.                      

"Leave her alone!" he shouted.

Zurg snarled, eyeing the Grub with a look that was somewhere between surprise and outrage. "You!" he spat. "You sorry little mass of worthless cells! You cowering, bug-faced traitor! You would dare attack your own evil emperor?"

The Grub continued to hit him, grabbing at his cape as if he might be able to pull him off his feet. "You’re not my evil emperor! I don’t work for you! I work for... I don’t work for anyone! But I’m her _friend!_ "

"One-Two," the president gasped, her head still throbbing. "Don’t... don’t get yourself hurt..."

"Friend?" Zurg sneered. "You think anyone would want _you_ as a friend? You’re nothing but a Grub, and soon you shall be nothing but a dead Grub!" A sudden kick sent One-Two reeling backwards.

Before he could rise, Zurg kicked him again, then hoisted him into the air and squeezed with both hands. The Grub’s eyes bulged unnaturally wide, and tears began to stream from them. Just when the president was afraid Zurg might pop his head off, the emperor relaxed his grip and instead dropped One-Two unceremoniously on the ground.

Groaning, the Grub tried to scramble away. Zurg swiped a set of claws across his back, leaving five deep, red gashes. One-Two cried out and collapsed.

"Before you die," Zurg whispered, "you will learn what it means to betray the Evil Emperor Zurg."

_I have to do something,_ the president thought frantically, but when she tried to rise she immediately fell back again, the world spinning around her. Blood was trickling from the back of her head.

"Many people have wronged me over the years," said Zurg, launching another kick at One-Two. "Do you know what happened to them? I killed them, or I conquered them, or I’m _going_ to kill and conquer them! Every single one of them! You’re not the first treacherous minion I’ve had to put down, and your precious president won’t be the last snivelling do-gooder I do away with either! The entire Galactic Alliance stood in my way, and look what happened to them! I made them pay for everything they’d done!" He rolled the Grub onto his back and scowled at him. "Do you really think _you_ could stand against me?"

One-Two didn’t answer. His body continued to shake, though the president couldn’t tell if it was from fear or pain.

"I am the Evil Emperor Zurg! People on a thousand worlds fear me! One day my name will be spoken throughout the whole _universe_!" Zurg began battering One-Two with his fists. "I will not accept any insolence from the likes of you! You’re nothing but a filthy little insect that was raised above its station! Your people were living in caves when I found them—living like the vermin you are! You’d be nothing without me, yet you defy me at every turn! Well, you’ll learn to regret your mistake now, won’t you? Oh—except you won’t, because you’ll be dead!"

"And... and what then, Zurg?" The president pulled herself into a sitting position. "Once you’ve made everyone pay, what’ll you do? Huh? What about when it’s just you standing alone in the ashes of the everything? Do you call that winning?"

Still holding One-Two down, Zurg shot a glance at her. "Yes! I’ll be in control! I’ll be the master of all evil!"

"You’ll be master of nothing! What good’s an evil emperor after he’s killed all his subjects?"

"Shut up!"

The president crawled forward. "You’ve already won, Zurg! I admit it! You won! Isn’t it enough now? Can’t you just _stop_?"

"You think _this_ is winning? It’s never enough, my dear Madam President! Not until I have everything! EVERYTHING!"

She was inching closer. "You’re never gonna control the whole universe, you idiot! You really think anyone can do that? How many people have tried before you, hmm? Every one of them has failed!"

"Natron—"

"Natron’s just a silly fairytale now! No one remembers him—no one _cares_! One day that’ll be you. A story people tell their kids to scare ‘em into going to bed on time. The universe will move on without you!"

"I am an evil emperor!"

"And I used to be the galactic president! Don’t count for much now, does it, baby?" She was close enough now to see the bloody welts forming over One-Two’s body. At least he was still breathing. "You got what you wanted! You got control of the galaxy, you got your revenge! Why aren’t you happy yet? Either sit down and start ruling your new empire or get out! ‘Cause if you aren’t happy now, you never will be, so what’s the point?"

Zurg was staring at her, breathing heavily. His claws were still around the Grub, but he’d stopped hurting him. "Well... I...!"

"All I ask," she gasped, dropping down in front of One-Two and reaching out to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, "is that you let this little creature live. Do what you like to me, but spare this one Grub. You’ve hurt so many people already—do you really think killing another is gonna finally satisfy you? It hasn’t worked so far!"

There was a long silence, filled only by their ragged breathing. At last, Zurg’s hand uncurled from around the Grub’s body. "I just wanted to go home," he hissed. "I wanted to go back to Planet Z. Today was supposed to be a good day!"

He straightened his robes and rose. The president forced herself forward and cradled One-Two, ignoring the throbbing in her skull. Though he was bruised all over and his swollen eyelids remained shut, the Grub continued to draw shuddering breaths. He needed urgent care, but he wasn’t dead.

"Why are you still trying, after all this time?" Zurg asked, looking down at her. "You knew there was nowhere to run to—the galaxy is mine! You knew you would be caught eventually! After everything you’ve been through, why haven’t you just given up?"

She raised her head to meet his gaze. "Why haven’t you? Forty years, that’s a long time to be trying to conquer the galaxy."

He stared at her awhile before speaking. "Because I don’t know who I’d be if I wasn’t fighting for something..."

"And that’s why you’ll never be satisfied. Even if you did conquer the whole universe, it wouldn’t be enough for you."

Taking a deep breath and holding himself up stiffly, Zurg turned away. "There should be a patrol of Hornets passing this way in a moment," he said. "I’ll have them escort you back to your room."

"One-Two goes to the hospital," the president insisted.

Zurg clenched his fists. "Fine." He marched away.

She watched him go, both mouths open. Had she really gotten away with that? Had she actually talked him out of killing them? _You don’t get to be president unless you’re pretty persuasive_ , she thought, dizziness overcoming her. As she sank down, still clinging to One-Two, she found herself wondering what would happen next.


	55. Chapter 54

Booster considered himself a very understanding person. Empathy was strong amongst Jo-Adians, and he liked to think he represented his people well in that regard. He could usually see both sides to an argument, which was one of the reasons he hated fights so much. They were often stupid and everything would be a lot easier if people were just nice to each other. He knew he had his failings, but no one could say he didn’t at least _try_ to be kind most of the time.

A line had to be drawn somewhere, however, and he’d drawn that line around Buzz’s evil counterpart. He couldn’t even stand the sight of him, so he’d taken to spending most of his time on the cruiser. There was plenty of work to keep himself busy. Countless systems still needed repair, and the cruiser could do with a bit of cleaning. If he tried hard enough and kept himself distracted, he could pretend everything was okay.

It wasn’t okay, though.

When Commander Nebula had shown up alive and well, he’d been thrilled. Joy and relief had flooded through his body in equal measure. The commander was alive—he still couldn’t believe it! That alone would’ve made his day. But when he saw how opposed Nebula was to the alliance with the evil Buzz, his heart had risen even further. Surely Buzz would listen to the commander, right? As much as he liked to think his hero was always perfect, he knew Buzz sometimes made mistakes. Who could blame him after everything they’d been through? But with Commander Nebula around, Buzz would soon get back on track.

However, when he’d gone to the bio-station that day talk to the commander, he’d been stunned to find him gone.

"Where did he go?" he asked, looking around as if Nebula might pop up from behind the sofa.

Buzz hadn’t been very forthcoming. "He just left," he said.

Eventually he managed to get some of the story from Ozma. Something had happened—even Ozma wasn’t clear on the details—and Buzz, Nebula, and Xlgta had all had a big fight. Whatever it was about, Buzz had gotten really mad and ordered them to leave. Booster still couldn’t understand it.

"But he’s our commander!" he said to Buzz. "We have to get him back! We need him!"

"We’re better off without him." Buzz was clenching his jaw in that stubborn way that always meant he refused to be reasoned with.

"But Buzz, why?"

His captain sighed. "Sometimes people aren’t who we think they are, Booster," he said. "Sometimes they do things we’d like to believe they wouldn’t. It’s disappointing, but you have to learn to live with it."

Booster blinked. "What did Commander Nebula do? He—he wouldn’t do anything wrong!"

"He kept something from me. He’s been lying to me from day one... about so many things." Buzz rubbed his temples. "He was always like a father to me, Booster. I never had a dad around when I was young, but he was there for me when I joined Star Command. Took me under his wing, made me into the Ranger I am today. Next to Warp, he was the best friend I had. I’ve trusted him completely all this time."

"Well, shouldn’t you have?" Booster sat next to Buzz on the sofa, trying to understand. "I mean, what’s wrong with that?"

A hollow laugh answered him. "Do you know how my trust was rewarded?" said Buzz. "Commander Nebula never told me anything unless he had a reason to! He kept Shiv Katall secret until he needed me to take over from him. He didn’t tell me about XL until Zurg reactivated him. It was years before he let on how the LGMs’ mind link worked. Even after all this time, he still keeps important secrets from me—he always thinks he knows best. I now realise he’s never trusted or respected me the same way I respected him." Buzz’s hand formed a fist. "It’s the same story every time! I open up to people, and they always let me down. My own partner was working for Zurg for twenty years and I never saw it! All that time, I thought we were friends! My last serious girlfriend was cheating on me with her tennis instructor! Now I find out my commander has been withholding important information from me because he didn’t think I was worth being told! I’m just so tired of letting my guard down, because everyone thinks they can just walk in and wipe their feet on good ol’ Buzz Lightyear’s feelings!"

Booster wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He shifted nervously. "Well, um, you’ve got us, right, Buzz? I mean, Mira and XR may not be here, but you know you can trust them no matter what, and you’ve got me and Ozma..."

"Oh, Booster, Booster..." His friend sighed. "You’re a fine Ranger, and a good friend. If I can count on anyone, it’s you. But right now the only person I trust completely is myself."

Booster frowned. "Which one of you, though? You don’t mean you trust _him_ , do you?"

"What? No, of course not," said Buzz, shaking his head. "Although, well... At least I understand him. I know how he thinks. Nothing he does is going to take me by surprise—I wish I could say the same for everyone else."

"But Buzz, he’s totally, completely evil!"

"Exactly. Evil I can deal with—that’s what I’ve been doing all my life. It’s the people who aren’t evil, who are just... not what you want them to be... that give you all the trouble."

Booster sighed. _I know,_ he thought, avoiding Buzz’s gaze. _I know._

* * *

 Fear had sustained him through the first leg of the journey. XR had felt himself shaking like a ringing alarm clock as he left the Capital Planet solar system, terrified Zurg’s fleet would pursue him. Luckily, Hammerhold’s cover story had done the trick, and he ran the gauntlet without a hitch. He’d kept his speed low at first to avoid arousing suspicion, but the farther he got the more he pushed the engine. It would be a long trip to Raenok.

As the initial anxiety wore off, the full impact of what he’d done began to sink in. He was all alone, one robot on a crusade to save the galaxy, and if he was caught he’d be executed—but only after a considerable amount of torture, probably. Not the best situation to be in, if he was honest.

_I must be crazy,_ he thought. _I should’ve just let Mira take the ship! I can’t do this!_

Yet, somehow it felt good knowing Mira wasn’t there. She was on Capital Planet, safe—or relatively so—and sound. She was where she belonged. _And I’m where I belong. No one’ll miss me if I get blown to smithereens. For once, I really am the right Ranger for the job._

He hoped his dad would’ve been proud of him if he’d been there. _This is for you, Pop. You weren’t afraid to go out in a blaze of glory, so I won’t be either._ It was a lie, he knew that; he was _very_ afraid. But this time he was going to forget how he felt and do his job. _I’m a Space Ranger. I was built to protect and defend. Time to fulfill my programming._

Infinity dragged on as the ship continued to blast across the void. XR began to wish he had some company—even one of those annoying AI computer interfaces would’ve been preferable to the silence. It was too easy to slip into his own thoughts.

He tried tapping a tune out on the dashboard, reading an old comic book, practising with a yo-yo (how _did_ the LGMs manage to fit so much junk inside him anyway?), and anything else he could think of to relieve the boredom, but monotony continued to hang heavily in the cramped cockpit of the shuttle.

_I guess being a hero isn’t quite as glamorous as they say it is. No wonder there aren’t more applicants._ Somehow, it had always been different when he and his team were saving the day together. Their missions were filled with adventure and thrills rather than fear and dread, but more importantly there had been a sense of camaraderie. He knew his three friends had his back. Now all his back had was an uncomfortable steel chair against it that had probably seated far too many sweaty senators. He was flying solo.

* * *

The jungle floor was still fetid and mushy, and Ozma’s feet squelched through several inches of black mud as she returned to the bio-station. At least the river was slowly shrinking back to its normal size, and she’d even been able to collect a little fruit that hadn’t been knocked off the trees by the rain. When she entered her base, she greeted Buzz and Booster, but got little in the way of a response.

_Booster’s still upset about Commander Nebula leaving,_ she thought as she removed her servo-suit. _And Buzz... Buzz has his own thoughts to deal with._ She wished she understood the situation enough to help, but it wasn’t her area. _That Tangean Ranger could handle this better if she were here. She seemed good at that kind of thing._ Ozma quite liked Ranger Nova—when the woman wasn’t trying to shoot any of her animals, of course. Mira seemed to know how to talk people through their problems.

Hanging up her suit, Ozma left the main living area and climbed the metal ladder that led to the second floor. She emerged in her quarters.

It was a bright, airy room despite the lack of windows. She always put the lighting on high, and she’d covered the walls in pictures. Some were photographs of her animals and others were vibrant, abstract pieces of art. There wasn’t much furniture, but she kept things cosy.

The little figure hunched over one of the access ports definitely didn’t belong there, however.

"Excuse me," she coughed.

Savy looked up, banging her head on the open panel and cursing. Putting down the screwdriver she was holding, she shrugged sheepishly. "Hey."

"I believe this is my bedroom. And you’re in it."

"Yeah, guess I am. Sorry." The girl jerked her thumb towards the access port. "Some of your power flow regulators are faulty. I traced the problem back here and thought I’d fix it—you never know when the whole system might blow, and then you’d be in a mess. Luckily, it’s an easy patch job. Should be done in a minute."

Ozma moved to stand beside her, looking down on the teenager as she worked. "Next time, you might ask first."

"Next time you might say thanks. It’s not like you’re paying me for this."

Ozma raised an eyebrow. "Then why do it at all, if you’re not expecting anything in return?"

"I dunno." Savy jiggled the screwdriver around the inner wiring. "It needed fixing, so I figured I’d fix it."

"Where did you learn how to do this, anyway?" asked Ozma. "Forgive me if I’m making hasty judgements, but you don’t look like you’re attending any technical colleges, and I doubt you could afford private lessons either."

There was a snort. "Hello, my parents are robots. Do the math. Someone has to keep them running smoothly, and it’s the least I can do after everything they’ve done for me, so I picked up a little engineering know-how. I mean, I’m no expert, but I’ve learned enough over the years."

"On the streets?"

She frowned. "Yeah, on the streets. Anything wrong with that? Not all of us have fancy universities to go to. It doesn’t matter where you learn, just as long as you pick up the important stuff."

There was some logic in what she was saying. "But what if you decide you want to make a career out it? Go into engineering, or maybe specialise in robotics? You’d need to study for that."

"I already got me a job—well, two jobs, but this one’s temporary. I work in a robot repair shop on Trade World. Pays good enough."

"But that’s like if I opened up an unlicensed vet clinic on a shady street corner in downtown Capital City," said Ozma. "You could do so much more."

"Maybe I don’t wanna. You’ve got your degrees and a top job in your field—great for you. I don’t care about any of that."

As someone who’d never considered herself a prestige-seeker, Ozma had to pause to mull over Savy’s words. She wasn’t working on Karn for the glamour, that much was certain. Advancing in her field simply wasn’t a priority; she was there to learn about the ecosystem and protect it. But to get there she’d pushed herself well above her peers and she’d never slowed down. Years of study at an expensive university had been a necessary part of that, something she’d taken for granted. It was strange to realise that not everyone had such opportunities readily available, or even wanted them.

"There we go, all fixed." Savy closed the panel and stood back in pride. "Shouldn’t give you any trouble now."

Ozma nodded. "Thank you."

Though she tried to hide it, the girl’s face reddened slightly and a smile threatened to appear. "Eh, easy stuff. Just needed a little tweaking." Savy looked away self-consciously. "So, uh... nice room you got here. Sure beats some of the crummy places I’ve lived in."

"Yes, well, I put a little more effort into the decorating up here than downstairs, since I have to wake up to this room every morning."

"I like the art—didn’t realise you were into that stuff."

"I’m not," said Ozma, shaking her head. "It... um... My sister was the artist in the family. She painted all these."

"Cool." Putting her hands in the pockets of her jacket, Savy circled around the room, surveying all the pictures. "Are they meant to be anything in particular?"

Most of the pieces were wild blurs of colour, with a few bizarre shapes thrown in. The effect always reminded Ozma of the contents of a pizza box that had been left under a sofa for several months and sat on many times. But she loved them. "My sister liked to paint life. Nature, people—anything that moved, she said. She wanted to capture the world the way she saw it."

"She must’ve seen some strange things then." Savy grinned. Her smile dropped away a moment later. "You said ‘wanted to’ instead of ‘wants to’..."

"She’s dead." The words were easy to say; the reality was harder to deal with. "Shuttle crash."

Savy looked down. "Sorry. I... I never had any sisters. Or brothers. Not that I know of, anyway. My parents died when I was really young, so I don’t remember them. I guess that makes it easier."

"Maybe." Ozma shrugged. "But I would never want to have not known my sister."

"Yeah." The girl leaned against the wall, sighing. "You know, sometimes it feels like everyone’s got some problem in their life. I wonder if there’s anyone out there who _hasn’t_ lost something? Must be nice to be them."

The sound of someone climbing the rungs of the ladder interrupted their conversation. Ozma was about to ask who it was when a familiar head emerged from below. "Hello, ladies."

Ozma watched the alternate Buzz haul himself up into the room. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was looking for one of my crew." He pointed to Savy. "You seem to have borrowed her."

"Need me for something?" Savy asked.

The other Buzz shook his head. "No, just making sure you hadn’t run off."

"You think I’d do that?"

He grinned. "Well, you know how it is—good help is so hard to find these days."

She returned the grin. "Hey, when I sign on, I don’t quit halfway through."

It was hard for Ozma to understand how Savy could be so casual with him. Perhaps it was simply his uncanny resemblance to the man she was involved with, but she found him thoroughly unnerving to be around. His every movement seemed to hold a subtle threat, and she didn’t like to take her eyes off him. No Karnian beast had ever inspired such a strong reaction in her, and she’d been chased and gnawed at by the worst of them.

"You should get back to the ship, Savy," the other Buzz told the girl. "It’s about time for dinner, and we don’t want to overstay our welcome here, do we?"

Shrugging, Savy turned to Ozma. "See ya—and I’ll remember to ask next time before I barge in." She began climbing down the ladder.

"A lesson someone else could learn as well." Ozma kept her voice icy as she eyed the other Buzz.

His grin grew wider. "Knocking is for losers—that’s a Buzz Lightyear motto, you know."

"The Buzz Lightyear I know knocks."

"Kinda proves my point."

She put a hand on her hip. "Why are you still here?"

He slunk closer. "I thought it was about time we had a proper chat."

"We don’t know each other, so there’s nothing to chat about." Could she make it any more obvious she wanted him to leave?

He refused to take the hint. "Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I know you better than you think, Dr. Furbanna."

Ozma wondered if Savy was still close enough for her to call her back. She wanted someone else in the room. Actually, she wanted him _out_ of the room. "I assume you mean you know the version of me from your universe," she said calmly. "That’s not the same thing."

"Isn’t it?" He’d moved even closer without her realising it.

"You and the Buzz I know are hardly the same person, so why would I be at all like _my_ counterpart?"

Laughter rang from his lips. "Is that what you think, Doctor? Didn’t Lightyear tell you anything about my universe?"

She frowned, perplexed.

"It doesn’t work that way," he continued. "Forget all that science fiction mumbo jumbo about everything being totally opposite in alternate universes. It’s not like that—alternate universes are just a series of coin tosses, exploring different outcomes. Some universes might be completely different, but most are indistinguishable from your own until some key factor changes everything—the coin toss. Heads, Zurg decides to have porridge for breakfast and then goes on to destroy Star Command. Tails, he has fruit loops, chokes, and never conquers the galaxy. Simple as that."

"So you’re saying _you’re_ the coin toss in your universe?" That sounded typical—her own Buzz often seemed to think the universe revolved around him.                       

He nodded.

"And everything else is the same?"

"Oh, I wouldn’t say that. There was a time when it was close—all the big stuff was the same—but those days are over." Pride entered his voice. "I left a pretty big impression on my universe."

_I won’t even ask what that means._ Ozma shrugged. "Okay, if I understand this correctly, you’re saying our universes used to be nearly identical, rendering your prior knowledge of me valid, but they’ve diverged greatly since then?"

"That’s about it, yeah, Doc."

A pause. "Which leads me to ask... what happened to the alternate version of me?"

His eyes widened with a sinister amusement and seemed to freeze the whole room over. "She’s where she’d want to be. On Karn."

"Oh." Ozma let out the breath she’d been holding in, relieved. "I see. Good." She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting.

"I met her on a routine supply drop-off," he continued. "I was still in the Rangers then. Quite a lady, that Dr. Furbanna. I admit, I was kinda taken with her—even asked her out."

Ozma said nothing.

"She wasn’t interested," Buzz went on. "Told me to take a hike. You two would get along great." He shrugged. "It always bothered me—I was almost as awkward as your Lightyear back then, and it wasn’t easy to tell her how I felt, but she just brushed me aside like so much space dust. You don’t forget that."

She folded her arms. "Is that why you’re bothering me now? A misplaced desire for revenge?"

"Ha, funny, but no. That would be redundant." A crooked smile crossed his face. "Believe me, Furbanna, after I broke away from Star Command, I made sure to pay back all my debts, and you were at the top of the list."

The cool facade Ozma had been maintaining began to slip. She felt a shiver run down her spine. "Meaning what? You said she’s on Karn. Present tense."

"I didn’t say she was alive." He stepped closer.

She found herself edging back from him, calculating her odds of escape.

"You look just like her, you know," he said softly. "Must be a little friendlier though, since you gave ol’ Captain Star Command downstairs a chance."

He was blocking her path to the ladder, but maybe if she was quick enough... Springing forward, Ozma tried to get past him. He grabbed her by the wrist, jerking her back as she tried to make her getaway.

"Let go of me!" she shouted.

"Relax, I’m not going to hurt you. Your boyfriend wouldn’t like that, would he? I gotta stay on his good side, for now." Buzz chuckled. "Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of time for us to get properly acquainted after we’ve brought down Zurg."

She strained against his grip. "If you don’t release me right now, I’m calling for help. We’ll see how Buzz reacts when he sees you restraining me."

"Fine." His hand opened and he let her go.

Rubbing her wrist, Ozma edged towards the ladder. "You’re the most revolting creature I have ever encountered," she told him, "and I’ve known more than a few slime beasts and brain eaters in my time."

"You really know how to turn on the charm, Doctor." He rolled his eyes, still smirking. "Is that any way to talk to the man you love?"

Her hands tightened into fists and she leaned against the upper railing of the ladder, ready to bolt down it if necessary. "I believe we had already established that you and he are totally different," she said cooly.

"Not quite, Doc—I am the coin toss, yes, but I never said I was his opposite," he answered. "My actions may be different, but deep down... oh, deep down he and I are just the same. I just got to where I am first."

She swallowed. "What does _that_ mean?"

Buzz folded his arms. "Can’t you see it? He’s on the same road as I am. Like I said, we’re the same person. I started out just like him, you know—obsessed with justice and righting wrongs—and look at me now."

"The Buzz I know isn’t a psychopathic killer."

"Are you sure about that?" He leaned closer, that awful grin still plastered over his face. "I bought into all the same good guy shit he does. But you know what happened? I realised how worthless it was, and he’s going to do the same, mark my words. What’s the point in fighting for justice when the universe itself is unjust? You’re never going to win. Sooner or later you have to stop pretending there’s such a thing as right and wrong and just start living your life however the hell you want."

"Which, in your case, seems to involve lots of gratuitous violence and death."

He shrugged. "Life’s boring, and we all need a good laugh now and then. I realised I was the best at everything I did, and I always won, and I thought, why not use that for _my_ benefit instead of helping all those ungrateful citizens of universe? So I did. I beat Zurg—my Zurg—and I usurped his power. I beat Star Command. I beat the Galactic Alliance. I ruled the whole fucking galaxy. And I never looked back."

Her heart was pounding. She wanted to get out of there, but she remained rooted to the spot. "Maybe that’s just who you are," she said. "You’re sick and depraved. My Buzz isn’t like that. He’d never betray his beliefs. They’re what he lives for."

"Betray his beliefs? Furbanna, he’s working with _me_ , isn’t he?" He laughed. "He’s going to let me murder Zurg. Do you think his Space Ranger ideals enter into any of that?"

"That’s different. This is a difficult situation for everyone, and hard choices have to—"

"Oh, can it, lady! You know he wants to see Zurg suffer just as much as I do! He just won’t admit it, even to himself." Buzz had crept closer to her again, and Ozma shivered as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Here’s how it is, Doc—he’s me and I’m him. The difference is he’s still trying to hide it under that shiny Ranger suit. I’m who Buzz Lightyear is in the dark."

Drawing a deep breath, Ozma managed to look him in the eyes. "I don’t believe you." She turned on her heel and hurried down the ladder. She could hear him sniggering behind her. "And get out of my room!" she called up to him.

* * *

There was a small cage on Ozma’s desk, containing a brown lizard of some sort, and Booster frequently found himself visiting the little guy (or girl, he thought uncertainly). Apparently the lizard was recovering from a leg injury, but it was almost better and Ozma would be releasing it back into the wild soon. Booster would miss it. "Hey, Scaly," he whispered, patting its head. The lizard chirped appreciatively. "How you doin’?" He glanced across the room. Buzz was still sitting on the sofa, staring into space.

_I bet he’s still thinking about the commander._

Sighing, Booster started rubbing Scaly’s chin. It was sad when a lizard was better company than his best friend and mentor, but he just couldn’t talk to Buzz anymore. He wished XR was there.

"Buzz." It was Ozma. She entered the room, looking mad and almost a little frightened. "A word."

Looking puzzled, Buzz rose from the couch and followed her to the kitchen. Soon afterwards Booster heard yelling. From the words he could make out, it sounded like they were talking about the evil Buzz. Ozma seemed to be telling Buzz to send him away.

_Please listen to her,_ Booster begged silently.

But Buzz was saying no. He sounded firm as he argued for the necessity of keeping his double around until Zurg was dealt with. It was the same old story—Booster knew Ozma wouldn’t be able to get through to him.

And then there was the clatter of boots on the floor and suddenly someone slipped into the room like a shade. Booster turned around to see who it was and found himself staring into the last face he wanted to see.

"Hi, Ranger." The other Buzz smiled. "Haven’t seen much of you. You aren’t hiding from me, are you?"

"Leave me alone!" Booster hissed. "I don’t want to talk to you!"

"What have I ever done to you?"

Booster gulped, unwelcome images flashing before his eyes. "It wasn’t me, it was all those other people you hurt! Those people you killed!"

"Aw, you’re not still mad about that? Get over it, kid. It’s a big universe—you can’t cry over every person who dies."

"Doesn’t mean I should befriend their murderer, though!"

The evil Buzz shrugged. "I’m not asking for friendship. Certainly not from someone as pathetic as _you._ But we are allies, kid, remember that."

_Just get out, go! Oh why can’t you just leave, GO!_ "I never asked for you as for ally," said Booster, scowling.

"Well, I’m what you get. It’s this or an endless reign of terror by our favourite purple nutcase, so make your choice, Jo-Adian."

Booster glared at him. What kind of a choice was that? It was like deciding which class of star liner you wanted to be run over by. Either way, you ended up just as dead. His face burned with hatred as he watched the man walk out, and he fervently wished he would never have to see him again.


	56. Chapter 55

He’d woken up to a universe of possibilities. But now he realised those possibilities were only phantoms, wraiths dancing in his head. He should have known all along.

Zurg shifted, sitting on the hard concrete that paved the Plaza. The night was hot, but with his feet dangling in cool water it wasn’t unpleasant. He sat beside one of the pools, his rocket boots and purple socks spread out on the ground next to him. The water rippled around his ankles, and moonlight spilled across its trembling surface. _I’m still here,_ he thought. _Capital Planet. No dinner on Planet Z tonight, it seems._

What was the point of going back? It would only grant him fleeting satisfaction before the growing boredom seeped in and his life went back to being as empty as it felt now. He could fight it with schemes of conquest and destruction, but that wouldn’t solve the underlying issue. He just wished he knew what the underlying issue _was._

He stared down at the pool. Coins glinted on the bottom, tossed in by poor fools who actually thought their wishes might somehow come true. There were a lot more now than there’d been when he first arrived. He wondered what everyone was wishing for. Remembering the wish Mira Nova had hinted at, he realised he could probably guess.

He turned away and looked up at the sky. Stars winked back at him. He thought of all the many adventures that had taken place in that great expanse—so many plots, so many dances with Lightyear, so many failures. He missed it.

_Perhaps if that blasted Xlgta had never come, I would’ve stayed in my cosy little routine and been happy!_ It was wishful thinking, he realised. The kind that viewed the past with more generosity than it deserved. He hadn’t been satisfied then either. _But at least I wasn’t_ suffocating. _I had a goal! A clear, achievable goal!_

And now he’d achieved it. The galaxy was his. So what was left? The rest of the universe? He’d thought that might do the trick, but now he wasn’t so sure. The president’s words gnawed at him. Perhaps there really was _nothing_ that could satisfy him.

But if true fulfilment was impossible, then what? A recourse to fleeting pleasures? Zurg thought about all the things he still wanted. _Lightyear, of course, but I don’t have any leads on him yet..._ What else? _Ah. Yes. Revenge._ He’d certainly made the Galactic Alliance pay dearly for everything they’d done to him, but what about everyone else?

_Oh, Madam Xlgta, where are you?_ His eyes jumped from star to star, wondering if she was up there somewhere. Perhaps Warp was up there too. And Buzz.

_The Xlgta probably went home,_ he concluded, feeling a sense of disappointment. He’d refused her offer, so what reason could she have to stay? But if she was back on their homeworld, that was where he had to be. _I can kill so many old birds with one stone. The Xlgta, the council, all those ungrateful peasants who overthrew my family and killed Nana Xurg—everyone!_ At last his revenge would be complete.

It wasn’t much, but it was something to keep him going. Something to dream sweet dreams about at night, until he figured out what he was _really_ looking for.

* * *

The apartment felt so empty now. Mira had never been bothered by the quiet before—she’d lived by herself for five years and enjoyed the privacy. No nosy fathers interfering in her business, not servants or guards bowing wherever you went. Just blissful solitude. But that was before XR had moved in.

It felt strange to walk into the living room that morning and not find the TV blaring while a snoring XR lay passed out on the sofa. She used to get annoyed with him for leaving it on, but the silence was so much worse.

Mira settled on the sofa with a bowl of cornflakes. The milk had turned them to sloppy mush, which suited her mood. _That’s the problem with today,_ she thought. _Everything feels like soggy cornflakes._

Even having an XR around who was angry with her would’ve been preferable. At least then there wouldn’t be this emptiness gnawing at her insides. _I don’t think I’ve ever been this alone before,_ she realised. _Literally every last friend I had is now gone._ There were still the Rangers on Star Command, like Rocket and Ty and all the rest, but she rarely got to talk to them. And they weren’t Team Lightyear.

_Just me, Mira Nova, facing life solo. Just what I always wanted, ha._ She hugged herself. _Gosh, I hope XR’s okay..._

After the shock of XR’s departure had worn off the previous day, she’d hurried out to the Plaza to see Zurg off. The last thing she wanted to do was arouse his suspicions, so she had to put on the good little lackey act. But when she got there, she had been shocked to find the Grubs were unloading all the luggage they’d just loaded onto Zurg’s shuttle. "The lift-off’s been cancelled," they’d told her. She still didn’t know what it was all about, but apparently Zurg would not be returning to Planet Z.

_Just what I need,_ she thought, setting down the half-finished bowl of cornflakes and going to her room to get dressed. _Zurg hanging around some more._

But maybe... just maybe XR would get through to the Raenoks and bring back help. It was a long shot at best, and XR wasn’t the person she would’ve chosen for the job, but she was surprised to discover she had considerable faith in that smart-mouthed little robot. People didn’t give him enough credit—he was a good Ranger, and she knew he could be relied on when the chips were down. _I should’ve told him that,_ she thought, trying not to choke up. _I should’ve told him how proud I am of him..._

* * *

"Aw, man, you call _that_ a bomb? You couldn’t blow the airlocks off an old freighter with that!" XL shook his head at the blueprints the Grubs and Brain Pods were showing him. "We’re supposed to be ripping holes in the fabric of the universe itself here! Come on, people!"

"And you have something better in mind, hmm?" one of the Brain Pods asked irritably.

XL grinned. "You betcha! Now _this_ is a bomb!" With a sharp tug, he pulled away the sheet covering the drawing board he’d set up. It dropped to the floor, revealing the schematics for what XL had mentally dubbed _a ginormous great blowy-uppy thing_ , patent pending. "This is gonna be the warhead the rips Zurg his rift into trans-space!"

The Brain Pod looked over the plans, tsking. "Seems a bit risky... there’ll be a massive explosion..."

"That’s the idea, man!"

"You don’t, uh, want to be the one caught in that explosion, though."

"Did I hear someone mention explosions?" Zurg swept into the room, eyeing everyone with his usual disdain. All the minions shrank away.

XL nodded, unfazed by the emperor’s sudden appearance. "Guess what! I think I’ve finally cracked this one for you, Zurg—I think we might be able to open that rift!"

Zurg’s eyes widened and he clapped his hands together. "Outstanding! I came here to turn up the pressure and hasten your progress, but I see you’re already one step ahead of me! How soon till the device can be deployed?"

"Well, we still gotta build it first, so give us at least a day for that. Then there’s tests and simulations and—"

"Forget all of that! I want us to deploy the bomb as soon as its ready!"

One of the Brain Pods squeaked. "But, my evil emperor, safety procedures! We need to make sure it won’t blow up in our faces! That’s why we have to run as many tests as we can first to ensure everything’s safe!"

"Safe?" Zurg glowered at him. "SAFE? Do you think I defeated the Galactic Alliance by playing things _safe_? You have one day in which to construct this device and then we’re deploying it! Is that clear, or would any of you like a demonstration of just how unsafe my workplace can be, hmm?"

There were no takers, so Zurg snorted at them and turned back to XL. "Keep up the good work, my former robotic renegade, and be sure to have everything completed by tomorrow!"

"You got it!" Whistling cheerfully, XL poured over the schematics and began mentally listing all the components he would need. It felt great to be building something again—he hadn’t realised how much he’d missed it. There was a certain satisfaction in dreaming up new technology that was fundamentally lacking in sending faxes, even if it wasn’t exactly for a good cause.

* * *

In hindsight, lightyears and lightyears of empty space wasn’t so bad really. It was when he hit the main travel ways that the real trouble began. XR had been avoiding the interstellar highways as much as possible, but he had to get to Raenok as quickly as he could and that sometimes meant crossing through heavily-trafficked regions. Every time he passed another vessel, he hunkered down low in the chair, his knees rattling together. So far no one had so much as flashed their lights at him, but what if he ran into one of Zurg’s ships on patrol? Did Zurg know about his escape yet? Was Zurg out looking for him?

_Oh, craters, he’ll probably find out I took this ship, and it won’t be hard to trace!_ Something a little less conspicuous than a senator’s shuttle would’ve been nice.

Glancing at the star chart on his screen, XR was struck with an idea. _Trade World’s only a lightyear out of my way..._

It would be tricky to land there—Trade World was under Zurg occupation now—but Zurg’s forces would be spread thin and Trade World was a notoriously difficult planet to regulate at the best of times. With so many ships likely to be coming and going, surely one little shuttle could slip through unnoticed?

His mind made up, XR set a course for the grimy, overcrowded world and scanned the space around him apprehensively. More and more ships crossed his path the closer he got to his destination. If his hands weren’t made of metal they would’ve been sweating.

When the planet finally came into sight, he gripped the controls tightly and slowed the shuttle’s speed. He’d have to plan his descent carefully. Several purple cruisers marked with yellow Zs passed by, but none paid any attention to him. So far so good.

He surveyed the other ships on their way to Trade World and his optics fell on a large tanker. It had the rickety look of a ship that had seen a few hundred parsecs too many, and it seemed to be leaking chemicals from a bad patch job on the side. Just what he needed. Giving his shuttle a burst of speed, XR dove beneath the tanker and magnetised to the underside of the hull. With any luck, the driver was wasted out of his mind, like half the truckers Team Lightyear pulled over when they were on traffic duty, and was none the wiser to XR’s presence.

Liquid continued to pour from the leak, and some of it began splattering against the shuttle. Perfect. According to XR’s scans it was non-explosive, which was always a plus, especially when you knew how painful blowing up could be, but it was also mildly radioactive. Hopefully it would scramble the sensors of anyone scanning the tanker and fool them into thinking XR was just another part of the hull.

He held his breath as they descended through the atmosphere (ignoring the fact that he didn’t actually need to breathe in the first place), and finally let it out when they were almost on the ground. Disengaging the magna-lock, he pulled away from the tanker and waved to it as he flew away. "Thanks for the lift, pal! So long!"

The next step was to find a good place to ditch the shuttle. He settled on a stretch of empty coastline. The tide would be coming in soon and might sweep the ship away, leaving no trace of him for Zurg to follow, but even if it didn’t he knew the shuttle would be long gone before the hour was up if he left it unlocked. Ah, the wonders of Trade World.

Cutting the engine, he jumped out the ship and looked around. "No Mahambas VI, that’s for sure." The sand was a dull grey and smelled of oil. There was trash everywhere, and more of it floating in the churning sea. A thick haze hung over the horizon. "Okay, no time for sight-seeing, XR. You’ve got to find a new ship. And probably stop talking to yourself."

He made his way to the street and followed the winding sidewalk, not sure where he was going. They said you could find anything on Trade World for a price, and he knew black market shuttles would be easy enough to come by. The real issue was paying for one. Opening his chest, XR reached in and counted out all the money he found inside. Barely twenty uni-bucks—that wouldn’t even buy him a decent kid’s tricycle! _Maybe I should’ve thought this through first._

He supposed, in the name of justice and freedom and all that, he could... borrow... a ship. Breaking into one wouldn’t be difficult for a robot like him, and it wasn’t like he wouldn’t bring it back afterwards. Surely even Buzz couldn’t begrudge him a little grand theft auto if it meant saving the galaxy, right?

He looked around the busy street. There were plenty of parked vehicles, but also plenty of witnesses. Then again, this was Trade World—would they even care if they saw him stealing someone else’s car? Probably not, but he couldn’t take the risk.

XR kept walking, hoping to find somewhere secluded with a few parked ships and no people. He’d somehow thought Trade World would’ve been quieter after Zurg had taken over and so many people had been shipped out to Tangea, but it seemed just as bustling as before. Maybe the crowds were slightly thinner and the sounds of the city a little softer, but he still had to push his way through streams of people to make any progress.

He knew he was in the worst part of the city. The docks were home to all kinds of scum and lowlifes who infested the streets like rats in the hold of a ship. Smugglers, drug dealers, small-time gangs... also a lot of plain, ordinary homeless people who scoured the fishermen’s docks for food and slept beneath the piers. XR used to look down on those kinds of people—half of them were probably thieves or vandals or junkies or just too lazy to work, right?—and he’d never trusted them. But after all the displaced people he’d seen on Capital Planet lately, he’d begun to realise it wasn’t always that simple.

The streets of Trade World did have one thing over Capital Planet—they weren’t crawling with Hornets. Maybe Zurg knew there was no way he could possibly keep the entire city under surveillance. Or maybe the Hornets were there somewhere, simply lost amongst the sea of bodies. Whatever the case, it was a welcome relief not to hear the hydraulic thuds of their footsteps.

XR made his way further into the city. He left the coast behind him and explored various back streets and side lanes, sometimes going up into the higher levels. Trade World was a layered city, with lanes and bridges on multiple levels, leading you up and down and connecting everything together. You could easily get lost if you weren’t careful.

As he explored one of the upper levels, inhabited by Trade World’s wealthier classes, he looked into the distance and made out the silhouettes of the mountains through the smog. The city was nestled between several jagged rock formations, sheltering under their shadow. There were many other, smaller cities scattered across the planet, but much of the terrain remained as it had been when the first colonists arrived. It was a strange mix of urban development and untamed wilderness—almost like Planet Z in a way, but much cheerier despite all its faults. At least many of the people on Trade World still had hope.

He turned away from the railing he’d been peering over and his face lit up as he suddenly spotted a ship parked on a nearby landing pad, completely unattended. He looked around. There was no one in sight.

Rushing to the door of the vehicle, he tried the handle, expecting it to be locked but willing to give it a go anyway. He gasped when it opened. _Well, looks like today’s my lucky day!_

He jumped into the driver’s seat. "Ooh, leather interior, nice! Someone has good taste and a fat wallet to back it up!" If you were going to steal a car, you might as well get the best. At least he’d arrive on Raenok in style.

"Excuse me, just who do you think—"

The voice halted in mid-sentence. XR froze, just as he had been about to start hotwiring the ship. A feeling of absolute dread crept into his processors. He turned his head slowly to face the individual behind him who had spoken.

"You!" They both said at once.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" XR threw up his hands. "Of all the luck! What are _you_ doing here?"

Sitting in the backseat, Autopilot-99 huffed indignantly. " _I_ was waiting for my employer to return to his car. _You_ are the one who shouldn’t be here!"

"Sorry, pal, but I’m commandeering this baby in the name of Star Command." XR frowned thoughtfully. "You wouldn’t happen to have the keys though, would you?"

"As if I would give them to you!" AP-99 folded his arms. "You can’t take this ship, it belongs to my boss! He’s not someone you want to mess with, you know! He could have you brought up on charges! Grand theft auto _is_ still a crime, isn’t it?"

"I told you, I’m commandeering it!"

"Oh, _sure_. I bet you Rangers ‘commandeer’ all the good stuff, don’t you?"

XR rolled his eyes. "Just shut up! I’m not gonna take any lip from a guy who doesn’t even have legs!"

It only took him a minute to get the ship started. AP-99 was shouting and kicking up a fuss the entire time, but he closed the door and rolled up all the windows so no one would hear. Once the engine started running, XR glanced over his shoulder, told the autopilot to buckle up, and roared off the pad and up into the sky.

"This is outrageous!"

"Aw, relax, buddy, I’ll bring it back when I’m done."

AP-99 pounded on the windows. "Let me out! Set this vehicle down right now!"

"No can do, we’ve got ourselves a little date with the Raenoks." XR grinned when he saw the look of horror that flashed across AP’s face. "That’s right, my friend—we’re on our way to the planet Raenok!" Then another thought occurred to him, and his own face fell. He was going to have to take the annoying autopilot along for the whole trip.

* * *

Zurg met Mira in the halls as she headed for the Senate chamber. "Nova!" he called, catching up to her. "Sorry to delay your no doubt important and unbelievably dull business, but I have some news for you."

She looked worried for a moment, but mastered her features quickly. "Yeah?"

Was she hiding something? Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought. "Yes. You see, I _will_ be leaving after all—but I won’t be returning to Planet Z."

"Um, okay..."

"XL believes he has found a way to open a rift into the trans-spacial network. Once I have access to those tunnels, I shall take a fleet through to a certain... a certain place I’ve been meaning to visit for a very long time."

Mira seemed uncertain. "Wow, uh, o-okay, um... so this is it? This is where your big plan for universal conquest begins?"

_Not quite._ "Something like that." _Nothing so lofty, my dear Nova—all I want is cold, hard revenge._

"When’s all this going to happen?" she asked.

Zurg smiled. "Tomorrow."

Her mouth fell open. "Tomorrow? B-b-but... I mean... wow. Just—just like that?"

"Yes." It was so delightfully spontaneous—he’d missed acting on whims like this. Intricate evil schemes were all well and good, but they didn’t give you the same rush.

She sighed. "Is there anything you need me to do?"

"Just make all the arrangements for my fleet’s departure. It shouldn’t take long—they were almost ready to leave yesterday until the change of plans."

"How many ships are going?"

He shrugged. "As many as I can afford to take with me. This isn’t a little family outing to the zoo, Nova. I want to leave destruction and carnage in my wake!" _Those fools in the council will never know what hit them. Oh, I wish I could be in their chamber to see the look on the Xlgta’s face when I arrive with my armada!_

"I’ll see to it." Mira ran a hand through her hair. She looked tired—and older. Something was troubling her.

"Where’s your little tin friend, by the way?" Zurg asked. "I didn’t see either of you yesterday, you know."

She looked startled. "Uh... uh, yeah, sorry. XR’s, um, h-he’s not here. I-I-I mean he is here! Of course he’s here! He’s just not, you know, _here._ "

"Hmm, yes, very succinctly put, Governor."

"H-he’s around somewhere," she said, giggling nervously. "Just not in the Senate. Probably at home."

Something was wrong. Zurg was now certain she was hiding something, and it involved that robot Ranger. "Take me to him," he suddenly announced.

Mira paled. "What?"

"I’d like to see him. I want to tell him what an excellent job his big brother is doing for me."

"Uh... well, uh..."

Zurg leaned forward, smiling innocently. "Come now, it should be easy enough to find him, don’t you think? You said he was probably at your apartment, didn’t you?"

"Look, I’m really busy right now..."

"Your work can wait. I want you to produce that robot—NOW!"

She sighed, her body sagging in defeat. "I can’t."

"Why not? Hmm?"

"Because he’s not here!" Some of her defiance returned. "He’s not here, okay? I don’t know where he is! He left!"

Zurg grabbed her by the collar, dragging her right up to his face. His eyes glowed hotly in their sockets. "You mean he _escaped_?!"

"Yes! He stole a shuttle and left! He’s gone and you’ll never find him, so just forget about it! He can’t do you any harm!"

Normally Zurg would agree—he’d never thought much of the robot—but something in Nova’s voice worried him. He released her and shoved her to the floor. "He’d better not, or you’ll both suffer for it!" Turning on his heel, he hurried to his office to order a search party organised. He’d have that errant electrical error found, and when he did he’d personally rip out every last circuit of his!

* * *

"I should quit working for the freighter company, I thought. I should go freelance, I thought. IT’LL BE FUN, I THOUGHT!"

Ignoring AP-99's ranting, XR leaned back in relief as they cleared Trade World’s atmosphere. One less hurdle behind them. "Now it’s straight on to Raenok!"

The autopilot groaned. "You couldn’t be going to Carnyworld or Mahambas VI, nooo, it had to be Raenok! Tell me, are you doing this because you hate me, or is my luck really just this bad?"

"Hey, you’re not the one who has to convince Supreme Commander Varg—a guy who hates every microchip in my body, I might add—to side with the Galactic Alliance, longtime enemies of the Raenok Empire, in the fight against Zurg!"

"I knew it," AP-99 declared. "We’re going to die."

XR laughed nervously. "Well, sure, with that attitude! Try to think positive, wouldya?" _I take back everything I said about wanting company on this trip,_ he thought, looking up at the stars accusingly as if AP-99's presence were somehow their fault. _I didn’t mean it! Not like this! Not him!_

There was a long, dramatic sigh from AP-99. "Fine, if we’re going to do this, we might as well do it right." Using his hands because he still lacked feet, the autopilot crawled into the front passenger seat. "I assume you’re planning to just fly straight into Raenok space?"

XR shrugged. "Well, yeah, I guess."

The other robot snorted. "Typical. Lucky for you, you have a _real_ pilot here to do things properly."

"What’s that supposed to mean? I’ll have you know—"

"Oh, just _shush_ and move over!"

"Hey!" XR found himself being shoved unceremoniously into the other seat while AP-99 crawled over him and took over the driver’s position. "You can’t do that! I’m the captain here, I stole this ship fair and square!"

AP-99 rolled his eyes. "Then go be captain over _there_. I’ve got a ship to fly." Stretching his fingers to crack the knuckles he didn’t have, the autopilot began adjusting their course.

"What are you doing?" XR demanded. "You better not be taking us anywhere other than Raenok, pal!"

"No need to panic, _Captain_. I’m just taking a better route." AP-99 looked at him smugly. "You were just going to go right up to the front door and probably get shot! My route will take us through lightyears of Raenok territory without being detected."

XR relaxed. "Hmm. Well, okay. Hey, I guess it might be handy having you around after all."

AP-99 cringed. "How about we _don’t_ make a habit of it?"

"Fine by me." XR sighed. They had a long journey ahead of them.


	57. Chapter 56

The echo of her boots on the metal floor lingered behind Savy as she ran through the corridor. She turned a corner and felt a hand grab her, slowing her to a halt.

"Whoa there, kid, what’s the rush?" Buzz was looking down at her.

"There you are! I’ve been hunting all over for you!" She took a few gulps of air to catch her breath. "So where were you? Visiting _the thing_ again?"

He nodded.

"Are you ever gonna tell me what it is?"

"You’ll find out when the time is right," said Buzz, folding his arms. "So what’s up?"

"I’ve been monitoring Zurg’s secret comm channel, right? Okay, so my computer suddenly tells me there’s a message going through. I listen in, and guess what—Zurg’s on the move! He’s taking the fleet out tomorrow!"

Eyes gleaming, Buzz grabbed her by the shoulders."Perfect! Where are they headed?"

"Planet Z’s system. But get this—they’re not going to Planet Z itself. Zurg wants to test out this device of his. Some kind of bomb thing to rip a hole in space or something. Seems a bit risky to try it out in his own solar system, but whatever."

"Hmm." Buzz rubbed his beard. "If he’s found a way to re-open those spacial tunnels, my life suddenly becomes a whole lot easier. I could just steal the secret from _him_ , instead of trying to get it out of— Well, anyway, this is exactly what we need! At last we can move out and strike against him!"

Savy nodded. "Should we tell the Space Rangers?"

"The Space Rangers... yeah, I suppose we should. I’m sure _I’ll_ be very interested in this information." He chuckled. "We’ll go there now and let them know, then meet back here with my people and discuss our strategy." Patting her heard, he added, "It’s about time I let you in on a few things, Savy. You’re going to be part of the inner circle now."

Savy beamed.

They left the ship and crossed the clearing to the bio-station. Savy was starting to get used to the wild land they were living in—her pollen allergies still bothered her, but she had to admit Karn had a certain natural beauty to it, even if more than a few creatures had already tried to eat her in the few days she’d been there. At least it wasn’t cold and wet anymore.

When they entered, Savy noticed Ozma wrinkle up her nose in distaste. The woman maintained a steady glare in Buzz’s direction.

The other Buzz—the proper one, Savy supposed, if you wanted to see it that way—didn’t look terribly pleased to see his double either, and Booster made no attempt to hide his disgust. Savy’s Buzz took it all in stride and seemed to delight in their hostility. "Afternoon," he greeted.

"What do you want?" the other Buzz asked flatly.

"We’ve got news."

Savy nodded. "Zurg’s fleet’s going to move out tomorrow morning," she said. "They’re going back to Planet Z to test some device—this our shot!"

The other Buzz’s expression immediately changed from contempt to excitement. "What? Are you sure?"

"You bet! I heard it myself over his comm line!"

"This is what we talked about," said her Buzz. "His fleet will be vulnerable while they’re on the move. We can attack!"

The other Buzz was nodding. "And if we can get to Zurg, we can take him down and his whole operation with him! We can free the Galactic Alliance!"

"Easy there," said Ozma. "I may only have met Zurg twice, but I know he’s not the type to go down without a massive fight."

"Then we’ll give him one," grinned Buzz. "It wouldn’t be any fun if he wasn’t kicking and screaming at the end."

For a moment the other Buzz seemed to share his enthusiasm, then he shook his head. "Ozma’s right—we’ve got to play this very carefully," he said. "We’ve got to keep the rest of his ships busy while we somehow sneak aboard the Dreadnought."

Buzz shrugged. "I’m sure you’ll come up with something, Lightyear. We’ll hammer out the details later—right now I’ve gotta inform my crew."

He took Savy and they returned to the landed Valkyran raider. Half an hour later, all the captains were assembled on the bridge and Buzz filled them in on the situation. Savy watched, proud to be a part of one of their meetings at last.

"Alright, people, this is the moment we’ve been planning for," announced Buzz. "We can’t afford any mistakes, so let’s go over everything one more time." He began to circle around the room, his hands clasped behind his back. "First, we follow the Rangers’ plan. We need them—they’re our extra firepower, and nothing will get Zurg rattled like having _two_ Buzz Lightyears attacking him. So let’s all be friends as long as we can. We’ll go with them to Zurg’s fleet and attack in unison." He smiled. "However, once the battle’s underway and Zurg’s distracted, the real fun can begin. Savy!"

"Yes, sir?" She snapped to attention, feeling for a moment as if she were in the Junior Rangers again.

He stood in front of her and looked at her curiously. "You’ve been very useful to me, kid. You’ve certainly earned your keep around here. More than the rest of this useless bunch, in fact—no offense, guys." He glanced back at the others, then leaned in. "Want to get the final Lightyear seal of approval?"

"What do you need me to do?"

He grinned. "I need you to get me onto Zurg’s ship."

There was a pause as Savy hesitated. The wheels in her mind were spinning furiously. "I might be able to," she said at last, with a shrug. "Same way I hacked into the comm line—using what I learned from the encryption pattern in the nanobots. But it wouldn’t be easy. We’d need to get real close before I could hack into his computer mainframe. Once I do, though, I can open the landing bay doors and then _zoom_ , we fly right in!"

"Works for me." Buzz turned away and resumed his pacing. "Okay, you all got that? SL2 will open the doors for us, and I’ll lead an elite squad onto the ship to hunt down Zurg. We find him, kill him, and then I take command."

Savy frowned. "Wait, what about the Space Rangers? I thought... well, I thought they were gonna take over..."

There was a mocking edge to Buzz’s laughter, and some of the other mercenaries were sniggering too. "Oh, come on, kid, you must know better than that by now."

He was right. She’d suspected the whole time they were going to doublecross the Rangers at the last minute, but... she’d been hoping...

"Do you think they’d hold up their end of the bargain?" Buzz pressed. "They wouldn’t pardon us—they’d want us out of the way ASAP. First chance they got, they’d sweep us all under the rug, aka straight into a maximum security prison."

She tried to keep all trace of emotion from her voice. "So what do we do? What happens after we take over?"

"First we make sure we don’t repeat Zurg’s mistake—we don’t let Lightyear get away. As long as he’s alive, he’s a threat." Buzz shrugged. "We kill him and the rest of his merry men. Then... well, then the galaxy is ours."

Savy’s throat felt dry. She swallowed, hoping she was maintaining her composure. _Craters, this isn’t what I wanted! I just want Zurg out of the way so everything’ll go back to the way it was! So my family will be safe! I don’t want to kill anyone!_ "Do you really think it’ll be that easy?"

"I have my secret weapon. And I know how Lightyear thinks. I can keep one step ahead of him."

"Yeah, but doesn’t he also know how _you_ think?"

Buzz’s white teeth gleamed in the light as he grinned, marred only by the empty space where one tooth had been knocked out by Zurg. "Ah, but he’s never been me. However, I used to be _him_ —or close enough, anyway. I have the advantage."

"So who’s gonna be on this little team of yours, pally?" asked Torque. "You want the best, right? How’s about ten for the price of one, baby?"

"Oh, not to worry, you’ll be there, Torque," assured Buzz. "You, me, Savy... I think we’ll keep it small and cosy. Just the three of us. We don’t want to draw any attention to ourselves until the party starts, do we?"

He went on to outline what the others would be doing during the battle. He explained to the captains when and where they should attack, and how long they should work with Rangers before turning on them. Savy was barely listening.

_Sweet Mother of Venus,_ she thought, her heart hammering. _What am I supposed to do? I mean... I guess I’m on the right side, huh? If his plan works I’m better off with him than anyone else. But... but..._

* * *

If there was one thing Autopilot-99 was proud of, it was how good he was at his job. Some might think it a lowly position, but somebody had to get all those shipments hauled in on time. He’d put in a good seven years of service with Robo-Freighter Co. before the incident on the outer rim. After the Space Rangers found him and fixed him up, however, he’d decided it was time for a change. His contract with the company was supposed to last ten years, but the explosion had changed everything, reclassifying him as salvage. Funny how robots could be legally bound to contracts but were still considered property under the law, he thought. Star Command had no interest in keeping him, so he was free as a photon particle.

Landing the job on Trade World had been a stroke of luck. Trade World was known for granting greater rights to robots than any other Alliance world, and that seemed to hold true even with Zurg in control. He’d found himself a good job and everything was going great—until that loudmouthed robot Ranger had appeared.

_Now I’m flying a stolen ship to the planet Raenok with the most annoying person in the galaxy sitting next to me and we’re probably both going to die!_

But, imminent death or no imminent death, he was still going pilot the craft there flawlessly and on time, as always.

He wasn’t really sure why he was doing it. Now that he was driving he could turn the ship around and go straight back to Trade World. That certainly seemed to be what XR expected him to do, because the robot kept checking their course and throwing suspicious glances at him. AP-99 was a robot of his word, however, and he’d promised to take them to Raenok.

It would be quite something if they could pull it off. _Just imagine what the organics would think if two robots saved the day,_ he thought with a wry smile. _Though we’d probably never get the credit for it._

"Have you ever been into Raenok Space before?" XR asked, breaking the long silence they’d fallen into.

"I’ve been _near_ it, but the company never did any deals with the Raenoks."

"Ever met a Raenok?"

AP-99 thought back to all the different species he’d encountered. "Can’t say that I have."

"Lucky you." XR shrugged. "Me, I’ve been right into the heart of the Raenok Empire—no kidding, I was a Raenok hostage once! You see, while I was bravely guarding Varg when we had him locked up..."

"Yes, yes, I’m sure this is going to be another _very_ entertaining story, just like all the others you told me, but I think I’d rather concentrate on my piloting right now."

"Whatever. You’re missing out on some quality XR adventures." The other robot delved into his chest, pulling out a datapad. "Not a problem though, because I have the whole thing in comic book form! I’ll give you a free copy to read when this is over!"

AP-99 restrained the urge to roll his eyes. "I can’t wait."

* * *

Keep quiet. Blend yourself into the noises around you. Take each step with care. Hunker down like a cat stalking its prey. _That’s what I am,_ Savy thought. _A hunter searching for a kill to make._ She clutched her laser pistol tightly.

The jungle was alive with the cackling and cawing of birds. Insects hummed a shrill symphony in the bushes. Everything was still a bit muddy and wet, but Savy was suddenly grateful for the previous day’s rain, because it had knocked many of the flowers off the bushes and her allergies weren’t acting up like they usually did.

After the little conference was over, she’d asked to leave the ship. Buzz had squinted at her suspiciously, until she explained why. She wanted to do some hunting. "Get in a little target practice, you know," she’d said. "Might need it on this mission." It was a lie. She was already a great shot. _I have to know if I’m cut out for this kind of thing. I have to know if I can kill something._

Technically, it was a question she already knew the answer to. _I killed NOS-4-A2, didn’t I?_ Just because he hadn’t stayed dead that time didn’t mean she’d meant it any less. It had been cold, calculated murder. But she did it for her parents, and for every other robot he’d ever hurt. _I did it so he’d never kill again._

Could she kill someone for more selfish reasons?

Savy heard something. It sounded large and it was coming her way. _Okay, this is it. Get into position._ She ducked behind an old log, grimacing as she got mud all over her clothes. Once she was concealed she raised the pistol over the top of the log and waited. _If Ozma knew what I was doing she’d go nuts..._

Huh. Why was she worrying about that when she was part of a conspiracy to kill Ozma’s boyfriend? _Ozma’s gonna hate me either way._

She wondered what would happen to Ozma if their plan succeeded. Savy didn’t like the way Buzz looked at her.

_Oh, what do I care! It’s not like she’s my friend. I’m not gonna waste my time worrying about her._

The noises were getting louder. Some kind of creature was definitely coming.

_I don’t owe anyone anything, except my parents, and this way I’ll be helping them. I’ll be on the winning side and they’ll be safe. Maybe I can even give them a good life—a better life than they’ve ever known before. I’ll be in with the new powers that be, right?_

She stroked the trigger, feeling perspiration forming on her forehead.

All she had to do was stick with Buzz. She didn’t have to kill the other Buzz or the Rangers personally. Their blood wouldn’t be on her, so why was she worrying? Sure, she kind of liked them and didn’t want them to die, but sometimes that was the way life went. She’d seen plenty of good people die on the streets of Trade World. _It’s nothing personal._

The face of a frightened girl flashed through her mind. The girl they’d shot on the Humanitez colony. Buzz may have been the one who squeezed the trigger, but she’d been holding the gun. _I should’ve done something... I shouldn’t have let her die._ She was never going to forget that face, especially the glassy, tear-filled eyes when the girl hit the ground.

Bushes and trees shuddered and gave way. Savy held her breath as a bulky, reptilian beast of some kind ploughed through the undergrowth. It stopped a short distance from her log and sniffed the air. For a second she was afraid it had sensed her, but then it relaxed and bent down to graze on a nearby shrub. It reminded her a bit of an oversized toad, except it was covered in scaly armour and sported a row of spines down its back.

Savy tracked it, keeping her pistol aimed at its head. One quick blast between the eyes would probably bring it down, but she was no expert. _Hope I don’t just make it mad._

Her finger didn’t move.

_Ugh, why do things have to be this way? Why does anyone have to die? Why did I get involved in this whole stupid mess?_

The creature was snuffling happily, making excited noises in the back of its throat as it found a bunch of berries in the middle of the bush, probably the only ones that hadn’t been damaged by the storm.

Savy wondered what her parents would think if they could have seen her. _Mom and Dad could never even kill the cockroaches in our apartment. Mom used to say that everything deserved to live. I guess... I guess they’d probably hate me now too._ She realised she hadn’t even told her parents where she was. _They’re probably worried sick. Cosmos, I bet they think I’m dead!_ How could she have put them through that?

_Why am I so fragging selfish?_ Savy watched the creature as it nibbled the berries. "Aw, forget it." She slumped against the log, lowering her gun. "What do I think I’m even doing?" Taking innocent life for fun had been NOS-4-A2's favourite activity. That was why she’d slain him. Was she going to become like him?

Groaning, Savy pulled herself up and stuck the pistol back into her jacket. She wouldn’t be needing it. A short walk brought her back to the clearing and she paused uncertainly at the edge of the trees, looking first at the Valkyran raider, then at the bio-station.

_I wonder if he’s watching,_ she thought, glancing at the parked ship again. _Aw, who cares._

Trudging through the mud, she pounded on the door of the bio-station and waited for it to open. Ozma was on the other side and ushered her in with a smile. "Hi, Savy," she said. "Back again?"

"Yeah." _You wouldn’t be so friendly if you knew I almost blasted one of your animals._ Savy shrugged and swept her gaze across the room. Booster and his Buzz were still there, good. They seemed to spend most of their time with Ozma. Savy couldn’t blame them—Karn was a lonely place. "Hey, guys."

Buzz glanced at her. "Here on an errand, little lady? Has there been more activity from Zurg?"

"What? Oh, no, I don’t think so." She shook her head. _And don’t call me little lady._ Her Buzz never called her that. She found herself having second thoughts—maybe she was better off with him. At least he treated her more like an equal.

"Then what is it? Getting bored cooped up on that ship of yours?"

"I’d want to get away from there as often as I could if I was stuck on a ship with _him,_ " said Booster.

"It’s not that." Savy fiddled with her jacket, wiping some of the mud from it. _Oh, crap, time to decide once and for all which side I’m on._  "I... I’ve gotta tell you something." Her heart was racing. "Buzz—my Buzz—is gonna doublecross you during the battle and kill you."

A look of vindication passed over Booster’s face, while Buzz remained unmoved. "Yeah, kinda figured," he said, rubbing his neck. "I knew he was planning something. Do you know the details?"

Savy nodded. "I have a way to get onto Zurg’s ship—I can open the landing bay and me, Buzz, and Torque are gonna sneak aboard. Then..."

"...you take out Zurg and take over," surmised Buzz. "After that, the Space Rangers lose their usefulness and become liabilities, so you destroys us with your new fleet."

"There’s more," said Savy. "He’s got some kind of... well, he called it his ‘secret weapon’. I have no idea what it is, but he keeps it locked up on the ship and won’t tell me anything about it. Says I’ll find out eventually."

Booster frowned. "You think it’s important?"

"I dunno. Could be—he seems really excited about it."

"Hmm." Buzz looked thoughtful. "This’ll be tricky."

"You’re not still going ahead with your plans now that you know what he’s going to do, are you?" asked Ozma. "He wants to kill you!"

Buzz sighed. "We still don’t have a choice. We need him as much as he needs us. But don’t you worry—thanks to Savy here, we know exactly what he’s up to. That should make it easier to foil his plans."

"How, exactly?" Savy thought she’d feel relieved once she’d unburdened herself, but somehow it just seemed to make her more nervous. She was committed to their cause now—there was no turning back. _And if my Buzz finds out what I’ve done, I am so dead._

"Simple," replied Buzz. "You’re going to leave the back door open for us. After you board the Dreadnought, don’t close the landing bay. Booster and I will follow you in."

"But Buzz," protested Booster, "who’ll lead the other cruisers while we’re gone?"

Buzz shrugged. "Captain Kayuga’s a good man. He can handle things."

Looking more than a little sceptical, Ozma folded her arms. "And what are you two heroic Rangers going to do once you’re aboard?"

"Our jobs." Buzz held up two fingers. "Number one, we’re gonna stop the other me from taking over. Two, we’re going to take down Zurg any way we can. His reign of evil ends tomorrow."

Savy wondered where she would fit in once it was all over.

* * *

"Oh dear." AP-99 stared nervously out the blastshield. "We’re about to enter Raenok territory."

XR looked up from whatever tawdry magazine he’d been reading and swivelled his head around frantically. "Huh? Wha—? Quick, scan for enemy ships!"

"Already done." _I’ve been doing this job for longer than you’ve been online, so give me a little credit._ "The route’s clear—as promised." AP-99 folded his arms. "And _you_ were just going to fly straight in. Hmph."

"Fine, fine. Take us away, flyboy!"

"Flyboy?"

"Okay, trusty sidekick then!"

AP-99 sighed, deciding it wasn’t worth arguing over. "Taking us away..."

They plunged onwards through the inky void. Everything looked the same as the sector they’d just left, but they were in Raenok Space now. Suddenly life was a whole lot less safe. "I’ve always heard Raenoks hold to a ‘trespassers will be shot on sight’ approach," muttered AP-99. "Is that true?"

"Don’t ask me, buddy-boy, I didn’t stick around long enough last time to become an expert on Raenok border protocol," shrugged XR. "Sounds like them, though. They’re not gonna earn any points for hospitality, I’ll tell you that."

With that comforting thought to dwell on, they lapsed into silence. It would still be some time before they reached Raenok; the Raenoks had carved out a large stretch of space for their empire. They’d never achieved the same power and influence as the Galactic Alliance or Zurg, but they were still one of the galaxy’s major players. Personally, AP-99 would’ve been quite content to stay out of their way. He’d heard a lot of things about the Raenoks, and none of them were good. All the autopilots were warned to be on the lookout for them, in case they tried to hijack one of the freighters. Vulturans and Valkyrans were more common threats, but AP-99 knew the Raenoks sometimes went after shipments of fusion crystals, as their own empire was severely lacking in crystal-rich planetoids.

_Does Mr. I’m-always-right-because-I’m-related-to-some-top-brass-organic really think he can reason with galactic thugs like them?_ AP-99 shook his head. He knew the Raenoks weren’t going to listen to them. _We’re going to end up as scrap metal patched to the hulls of their ships!_

Oh well, there were worse ways to go than in a blaze of glory. But then again, there were better ways too. And technically, as a robot, he didn’t have to go at all—he could have centuries ahead of him if he was careful! When you thought about it that way, it was really unfair and he hoped there was a robot afterlife so he could yell at XR a few more times for dragging them down into it.

A shrill alarm started shrieking. "Ahh! What’s that?" AP-99 looked all around the cabin. "Oh, good grief, it’s the security system!"

XR nodded, checking one of the screens. "Proximity alert! There’s a ship closing on us fast!"

AP-99 cringed. "Is it Raenok?"

"No, it’s an ice cream truck. Of course it’s Raenok!"

"No need to be like _that_ ," he huffed. "Well, what do we do? You’re the Ranger here, or so you say. Do some... some Ranger thing!" He thought back to the first time he’d met XR. He couldn’t say he’d been particularly impressed with his heroics then. "I’ll just be over here making out my last will and testament..."

Looking equally panicked, XR fumbled over the controls. "Lemme see, lemme see... Weapons are over there, but we don’t wanna use those... You’ve got the helm—evasive maneuvers if that ship fires any rounds at us! Okay, okay, what else? Uh... right! Communications! Where are those?" He continued to scan the dashboard.

"Over there!" AP-99 pointed, exasperated. "Did you even _go_ to the Space Ranger Academy?"

"Uh, no, but what’s that got to do with anything?"

The autopilot rolled his eyes. _Just like I thought. I suppose he got in through his family connections. Blatant nepotism—how disgusting!_ "Press that button to start transmitting," he told him.

"Right, thanks!" XR picked up the microphone. The ship was almost upon them now and it seemed to be aiming its guns at them. "This is Space Ranger XR to Raenok vessel. I repeat, XR to Raenok vessel! We come in peace!"

There was no response. A green burst of light dazzled in front of them for a brief instant, then the ship lurched violently. AP-99 clung to the chair and tried not to wince as he saw smoke pouring into the cockpit. _This is coming out of my salary, I just know it!_ "What did I say about them shooting trespassers?" he hissed to XR.

"XR to Raenok ship, come in please! You gotta listen, we’re here on a mission of peace!" XR was clutching the microphone desperately. "We’re here to see Raenok Supreme Commander Varg! I happen to be a close, personal acquaintance of his! Honest!"

His blabbering seemed to work, because the ship stopped firing. The robots were allowed a brief moment of relief before the larger ship closed in and loomed above them, its main hatches opening.

"You will surrender to Raenok warriors," a gruff voice announced over the comm. "You will board Raenok ship. You will become prisoners of Raenok Empire!"

"Uh... um, okay." XR gulped. "A-acknowledged. And may I just say, it really is an honour to be captured by such—"

"You will also shut up now."

"Got it, no problem." XR ended the call. "Guess we’d better do as they say."

AP-99 sighed, bringing the smaller ship up towards the open hatch. "You certainly seem to have a way with them. I can see this whole thing is going to go just _great_!"

There was a nervous chuckle from XR. "Let’s hope Varg is in a good mood..."


	58. Chapter 57

The final report had come in from XL—everything was ready. It was still early in the morning, but Zurg was preparing to check out of the hotel. His ship was waiting outside to take him to the Dreadnought. _And then we leave,_ he thought. _Then a new chapter begins._

"Zurg!" A familiar voice stopped him as he was about to walk out the gaudy lobby doors.

"Madam President." Zurg was surprised to see her. She’d stayed in her room since the escape attempt, and she was the last person he’d expected to come see him off. "This _is_ an honour. Here to say goodbye?"

She was looking better than she had been right after their last encounter, though she rubbed the back of her head as if it still hurt. "Not exactly, Zurg."

"Oh?"

Stepping in front of him, she held up the suitcase he hadn’t noticed she’d been carrying. "I want to come with you."

Zurg blinked. "What?"

"You heard me."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?" She’d risked her life only two days before to _avoid_ going with him. She was up to something.

The president sighed. "I did some thinking last night and I made my decision. I want to go with you."

"That doesn’t answer my question, so let me be a little clearer." Zurg set down his own suitcase so he could fold his arms across his chest. "Why _in the galaxy_ would you want to come with me when I’m _letting_ you stay here? Especially after the all the drama we went through the last time!"

"I have my reasons."

Oh, she was infuriatingly stubborn. Zurg sighed. "I’m sure you do, but are they reasons I would approve of, hmm?" He studied her. The woman’s mouths were both fixed into thin, determined lines. In her eyes, however, there was a hint of fear. She didn’t really want to go—she simply felt she had to for some reason. Zurg snapped his fingers. "Of course! You want to be there to stop me. Well, not actually stop me—you know you have no power to do that. But you think you can keep me in line. Somehow, in your arrogant little mind, you’ve convinced yourself you can prevent me from doing anything truly awful."

She said nothing.

"Let me tell you, Madam President," he sneered, "that just because I spared you and your precious little Grub friend, don’t think you have any hold over me. You can’t make me do or _not do_ anything—I behave as _I_ choose! Yes, I decided to let the two of you live, but it was _my_ decision to make."

"But I was the one that changed your mind," she answered. "And I stopped you from going to Planet Z."

"Oh please, as _if_! You just helped me reach that decision myself." Zurg ignored the nagging doubt in his mind. He was the one in control—he was always in control. "And if I decide to introduce myself with extreme prejudice when I arrive at the new galaxy I plan to travel to, nothing you can say will stop me!"

Her expression didn’t change. "Maybe not, but it’s my responsibility to try."

"Your responsibility? I thought your responsibility was to the people of _this_ galaxy! Shouldn’t you be glad I’m turning my attention to a different set of saps? Perhaps your people will finally get some peace."

"I’ve already failed this galaxy," she said. "I’ve got to make sure no one else suffers the same way."

"Oh, please!" He laughed. "Well, good luck with that. If you really want to come with me, then be my guest. Knock yourself out. But remember that I gave you the chance to stay and you didn’t take it. You’ve only got yourself to blame if you never see this miserable planet again."

She winced and seemed to hesitate a moment, but then followed silently as he left the lobby. They made for the parked shuttle. "What about our brave little friend, One-Two?" Zurg asked. "Will he be joining us as well?"

The president’s scowl deepened. "You leave him alone," she snapped with both mouths. "He’s still recovering in the hospital after what you did to him!"

"I _could_ have killed him. Keep that in mind."

"Oh, I ain’t likely to forget."

They reached the landing pad. Waiting alongside the squadron of Hornets that guarded the ship was Mira Nova. She was dressed in what had become her usual attire, and her face was just as stiff and formal as her clothes. "Evil Emperor Zurg," she greeted with a brief nod.

"Governor." Zurg eyed her with a certain level of animosity. He _knew_ she’d helped XR escape. He _knew_ she’d helped XL send the message that had warned Buzz of his plans. But he didn’t have proof, and without it he couldn’t justify executing the one person that was keeping the whole galaxy running. _Your time will come though, Nova,_ he thought. _Just you wait._

"Ready to leave?"

Zurg nodded.

Mira’s eyebrows drew together in surprise as her gaze fell on the president. "Is she going too?"

"So it would appear." Zurg waved a hand. "Absolutely typical. You decide to go for a little drive and the next thing you know, the whole family wants to tag along!"

Nudging Zurg aside with just enough force to make him wonder if he should classify it as a shove and reprimand her, the president approached Mira. "Goodbye, honey. Look after things for me."

"Uh... well, um, sure, of—of course." Mira looked confused, and her voice contained a hint of coldness.

The president sighed. "I know you’re still mad at me for selling out our secrets to Zurg, and I don’t blame you, child. But I want you to know that I’m proud of you." She took Mira’s hands in her own. "You keep on doing a good job, Mira—you’ve been a fine leader of what’s left of this alliance, and I know I can count on you."

Mira frowned. "Th-thank you, but you... you make it sound like you’re never coming back."

"I don’t know if I am. But don’t you worry about me." She let go of Mira’s hands. "Just do your job, girl. You do it well."

"Goodbye, Madam President." Mira slowly saluted her.

"Thank you, Mira."

Zurg yawned loudly. "Yes, yes, can we GET ON WITH IT? I would like to keep to my schedule!" Grabbing the president by the arm, he pushed her ahead of him into the shuttle. He paused halfway up the ramp and looked back at the world he was leaving. Capital Planet—his greatest victory, his greatest prize—but never his home. He wasn’t sorry to be going.

* * *

The surface of Raenok was all too familiar. XR cringed as it grew nearer and nearer. It was rocky, desolate, and grey. _It couldn’t be covered in sandy beaches or those nice little forests that are perfect for picnics, no, of course not. This is Raenok we’re talking about. It has to be as unappealing as catching a glimpse of Zurg in a mud mask and curlers._ He sighed. _And they wonder why their tourism industry isn’t booming._

"Robots should take good look. Robots won’t be leaving planet alive!" There was a roar of laughter from all the Raenoks.

XR and AP-99 were being held on the bridge, with several beefy Raenoks aiming guns at them. It was a bit unfair, really, since they hadn’t made the slightest attempt to escape. XR kept telling them that he _wanted_ to go to Raenok.

"You are gonna take us to Varg, right?" he asked.

"Maybe." The Raenok grinned. "Or maybe Varg no want to see robots. Maybe robots get executed straight away!"

"Gee, swell." XR decided not to ask any more questions.

AP-99 had his arms folded and his back turned on his companion. "I can’t believe I let you drag me into this," he muttered. "I should’ve called the police the moment you broke into the vehicle!"

"Too late for that now, smart guy. Besides, I am the police!"

"And do you know what the worst part is?" AP-99 continued, ignoring him. "I’m not just going to die, I’m going to die alongside _you_!"

The ship came down to land. XR and AP-99 were marched out into a particularly grim and oppressive-looking courtyard. The polished slate tiles gleamed green beneath XR’s feet, reflecting the emerald sky. He remembered his previous visit to Raenok. It hadn’t been a pleasant experience, and he wasn’t particularly eager to repeat it. _Still, a Ranger’s gotta do what a Ranger’s gotta do._ He wondered why things like that sounded more convincing when Buzz said them.

The Raenoks shoved them along, ignoring AP-99's complaints that he could only go so fast. "I’m walking on my hands, you know," he kept telling them. "Not all of us were built for sprinting!"

"Save your voice chip, these overgrown barbarians aren’t going to listen," said XR.

AP-99 frowned. "I hope you aren’t planning to call them barbarians in your grand sales pitch to Varg."

"Do I look that stupid to you?"

"Well..."

"Don’t answer that!"

They crossed the courtyard and reached the doors of a tall, grey tower. Its many spires resembled a Raenok’s grasping claws—not exactly the sort of place that made you feel at home. _Then again, maybe it does if you’re a Raenok._ XR steeled himself and went in.

"Robots wait in holding cell," the head guard told them, taking them through a maze of dim concrete corridors till they reached the prison block. "We talk to Varg. Varg tell us what to do with you."

"Uh, try _not_ to mention my name if at all possible... please?" XR laughed nervously. "You know how it is, an old friend dropping by, best to keep it a surprise. Boy, I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he finds out it’s me, ha... haha!" He gulped. "You don’t want to deprive me of that joy, do you?"

The Raenok grunted and opened the cell. "In."

"I can’t say much for the hospitality around here," began AP-99. "I’ve been all over the galaxy, and—"

"IN!"

The two robots quickly scurried inside the cell, and the guard shut the door on them.

* * *

He didn’t want to leave. The ten days they’d spent on Karn seemed like a lifetime, and Buzz found himself thinking of the place as somewhere he belonged. Not quite Star Command, of course—nothing could take its place in his heart—but it was something solid to hold on to. And Ozma was there. With the galaxy in shambles and half his team missing, she’d meant more to him than he could ever express. But everything had to end.

The Rangers were assembled in the clearing, their cruisers waiting behind them. The mercenaries had already left and were waiting in orbit. Buzz was glad he didn’t have his double peering over his shoulder as he made his goodbye. "Well, Ozma," he said, staring at the woman standing before him, "looks like this is it."

She nodded. "Good luck, Lightyear. I hope you win this one."

"Me too." _This is our last shot. Screw it up and we’re done for._ "You keep yourself safe down here."

"Of course." Leaning closer, Ozma whispered, "And Buzz, don’t... don’t do anything that... Look, just be the stubborn, blockheaded, annoying, earnest, well-meaning Buzz Lightyear I know. Be a Space Ranger."

He chuckled. "I thought you didn’t like Space Rangers much, Doctor."

"You’re not all bad." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Please, remember why you’re doing this. Don’t get too carried away. Remember what you’re fighting for."

Slightly puzzled, he nodded. "Don’t I always, Doc? Is there anything else?"

"I don’t think so." She shrugged. "Wait—tell Savy I said goodbye. And keep her safe. That young woman has a bright future ahead of her, if she can just stay out of trouble."

"Will do." Buzz saluted. "Well... I’ll see you around, Ozma."

"Goodbye, Buzz."

They stood there, staring at each other for a long moment, neither moving. Buzz studied every inch of her face, burning it into his memory. He realised how much he loved the sight of it, whether it was shining with one of her dazzling smiles or dark with a scowl. He just wanted to keep on seeing it for the rest of his life. Reaching forward, he cupped her cheek in his hand and gently pulled her closer. "I’ll come back," he whispered.

"You’d better, you owe me a week’s worth of dinners. Expensive dinners too, considering how many _months’_ worth of supplies your rookie ate."

"It’s a deal." His heart pounding like it was the first time he’d ever done it, Buzz kissed her lightly on the lips. He would’ve liked to lose himself in the embrace, but there were over a dozen Rangers watching them and they had a mission to get on with. "Goodbye."

"Yeah, bye, Ozma." Booster had come up to them. He shook Ozma’s hand vigorously. "Thanks for everything, you’ve been great!"

"My pleasure, Booster." She smiled. "Take care of yourself out there. Both of you."

"Okay, people!" Buzz turned on his heel, facing his Rangers. "Get to your ships! It’s time to move out!"

He and Booster climbed aboard 42. Settling in his chair, Buzz took a deep breath. "We’ve got an important call to make now, haven’t we?"

"Are you sure about this, Buzz?" Booster twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Shouldn’t we wait till we’re underway or something?"

Buzz sighed. "Ozma and I talked this over. We both agreed it’s better to send the message from here—less chance of Zurg tracking our movements if he only has our point of departure."

"But it’ll put Ozma in danger!"

"I know that, Booster." How could he not be thinking about it? "But if we’re lucky, Zurg’ll be too busy with whatever it is he’s up to to send anyone out to bother her, if he even intercepts the transmission at all." He wasn’t worried about Zurg decoding it—the encryption would take days to break, and by then it would all be academic. But if anything happened to Ozma...

"Yeah, I guess." Booster still looked worried.

"It has to be done." With slow, reluctant hands, Buzz entered in the necessary codes on the comm panel. Savy had shown him how to mask the signal, so maybe no one other than the intended recipient would even pick it up. "Okay, here goes." He leaned into the microphone.

* * *

There hadn’t been much to do after Zurg left. There was all the usual paperwork, of course, but Mira couldn’t keep her mind on it and finally gave up. Pushing her chair back and propping her legs up on her desk, she stared at the ceiling. _I hope XR’s okay._ She hated not knowing what was happening to him. _At least if I’d gone, it would’ve just been me in danger. I’d rather face a roomful of Raenoks myself than deal with all this waiting._

She thought back to what the president had said. _She thinks I’m doing a good job here. Maybe she’s right—maybe XR was right too. Maybe this is where I’m supposed to be._ Unsurprisingly, that didn’t make it any easier.

There was a muffled beeping. Mira jerked forward, momentarily startled. Looking around, she tried to locate its source. The beeping continued, until at last she traced it to the closet in the corner. Throwing open the doors, she discovered the noise was coming from the wrist comm on the suit she’d left hanging there. It had seemed a silly thing to do, keeping one suit at home and the spare one in the office, but she felt helpless without them near. She wanted to always be ready to drop her political garb in an instant and don the Ranger suit once more. No fancy title or position could take away who she really was—Mira Nova, Space Ranger.

Tentatively lifting the floppy arm of the suit, she flipped open the communicator. The screen remained blank, but static replaced the beeping. A choppy voice came through. "Hello? Hello?" it called. "If you’re there, don’t respond—two signals will just make this easier to trace."

Mira felt an overwhelming urge to fall back into her chair and cry. Part of her had thought she would never hear that voice again. "Buzz..." she breathed.

"I don’t know if there’s anyone on the other end—I already tried contacting XR and couldn’t get through—but if you’re there, Mira—" a fresh wave of emotion fell over her when she heard him say her name "—I need you to listen up. We’re on the move. It’s finally time to take back what Zurg’s stolen from us. We’re gonna hit him while he’s in transit with his fleet, when he’s most vulnerable, and we’re going to give it all we’ve got. But this’ll be a hard fight, and every little bit helps. I know it’ll be tough to arrange, but I need you to send me more Rangers. Please, Mira, come through for us one more time—use the authority Zurg gave you against him. Together we’ll show him what happens when he messes with Team Lightyear."

Mira wiped her eyes, feeling a deep ache at the thought of her team. She wanted to be a part of that team again so badly.

"Well, that’s it, I think. Do what you can, Ranger, and wish us luck. Lightyear out."

Allowing herself to collapse into the chair at last, she sobbed into her hands. _It’s finally gonna be over. One way or another, it’s finally gonna be over._ After a few more sniffs, she dried her eyes and looked up. "Okay, Buzz, you got it. It’s showtime."

She already knew how she was going to do it. Unwittingly, the Vulturans had provided the perfect answer. "Grubs!" she called impatiently, hoping she didn’t sound too much like a certain evil emperor.

A pair of the obedient insectoids hurried in. "We live to serve!" they announced in unison.

"Good, ‘cause I need you to get in touch with Star Command immediately. Have Rocket meet me in my office," she ordered.

"At once, Your—er, Governor." They seemed to have given up on bestowing imaginative titles of respect upon her. "Er, may we ask the reason?"

"I’ve just gotten some very worrying reports," she said, frowning and hoping she looked suitably worried.

"Reports? We didn’t get any reports." The Grubs were scratching their heads.

She rolled her eyes. "That’s because they were for _me_ , not _you,_ you dummies! Just who do you think is in charge around here anyway?"

"Sorry!" They quivered.

_Gosh, I don’t think I’ll ever have the stomach for all this ordering people around and treating them like dirt stuff. If I ever do become queen of Tangea, I’m just going to be myself and get rid of all that bowing and scraping nonsense._ "Look, it seems there are more raiders attacking some of the outer worlds. I need to send as many Rangers out there as possible, ASAP! So get Rocket here so I can discuss tactics with him!"

"As you command, Governor!" They sped away.

Mira rubbed her temples. _Okay, step one taken care of. Let’s hope they’ve bought it and don’t look into the story too deeply._ Once she had Rocket in the room with her, she could tell him what she knew. It wasn’t something she could say over the comm—she knew the line to Star Command was bugged.

_Rocket’ll probably have to stay on Star Command during the fight,_ she thought. _It’d be too suspicious if I sent him out. By I do know who_ can _lead the fleet._

Ranger Ty Parsec would finally get his chance to battle Zurg.

* * *

It was a long way to Planet Z. The trip from there to Capital Planet had taken five days, although then Zurg’s fleet had been subduing all the planets they passed along the way. This time it was a more direct journey, and Zurg expected to reach his home in several hours. _Ah, but which home do I mean?_

He tapped a claw against his mouth. It was strange to think that he might soon be returning to the galaxy he had grown up in, after living in exile so many years. _No, not exile—it’s only exile if the place you’re cut off from really_ is _your home. And it hasn’t been that for a long time._

There were some good memories connected to his old planet—sitting on Nana Xurg’s lap sometimes as her envoy paraded through the city; lying awake at night thinking about the stories his mother had told him; starting his first business and watching it grow—but none of them were enough. They paled in comparison to all the amazing things he’d experienced since establishing himself on Planet Z. _And they could never take away the sting of everything the people of my world did to me._

He wondered what the planet looked like now. It had gone through many changes over the years; the imperial palace had been torn down and in its place the chambers of the high council had been built. They were dull and ugly, nothing like the elegant splendour of the palace. Zurg found them offensive. The rest of the city had changed too. He remembered when his grandmother’s subjects lived in squalid little hovels where they belonged. After the revolution, the city had grown and new buildings had sprung up everywhere, replacing many of the ones that had been damaged in the civil war. The Xlgta had overseen the reconstruction initiative herself.

_She always said she cared about Nana Xurg’s legacy, but she never hesitated to tear down everything the empress had built. "In the interests of the people," she said. As if the people ever mattered!_

He couldn’t wait to see her again. At last all the old scores could be settled.

There was something so simple about revenge, so honest. Watching people who had wronged you suffer was enough to brighten the blackest day. _It’s the ultimate satisfaction. They get what they deserve, and you prove yourself superior._

He longed to be in the thick of it again. He’d spent too much time just sitting around. Even during the conquest of the Galactic Alliance, he hadn’t gotten his hands _really_ dirty. It was time for that to change.

Rising from his throne and leaving the bridge, he made his way to the labs. XL was there with various Grubs and Brain Pods. The robot waved to him. "Yo, hey, man! Everything’s all ship-shape and ready to go down here! The bomb’s armed, all you need to do is fire, and then _kaboom!_ " XL cackled with glee. "Oh, man, I can’t wait to see it!"

Sometimes Zurg wondered just whose side XL was on. He claimed to have gone over to Star Command—the ultimate disgrace—but he didn’t appear to have lost his appetite for destruction. Zurg couldn’t say he particularly cared though, as long as XL served _him_. The insane robot could pretend he was one of the good guys all he wanted in his spare time.

"Good, good," he said. "You’ve done well, XL—or so it seems. If this device works, you’ll be rewarded." _With your life, if I’m feeling generous._ "If it doesn’t..."

XL winced. "I gotcha. Don’t worry, Emperor Z, it’ll work! I guarantee it!"

"It had better. I don’t appreciate having my time wasted." Zurg snapped his fingers and a pair of Hornets entered the lab. "In the meantime, you can enjoy the comforts of my best dungeon."

"Dungeon? What? Aw, man!" XL struggled as the Hornets clamped onto him and dragged him away.

"Just a little precaution, in case you were thinking of escaping!" Zurg called after him. "If all goes according to plan, you’ll be released in a few hours!"

He left the lab and ambled casually down a corridor, his hands clasped behind his back. _Still some time before we reach Planet Z’s system. What to do until then?_

Without even realising it, he found himself touring the length of the ship. He checked on the Brain Pods at work in the other labs, the Grubs sweating away in the hot engine room, the rows of Hornets lined up in the Hornet bay... there was so much to see. _And all of it mine._ He’d come a such a long way since leaving his planet. _None of this was handed to me. They denied me my empire, so I built a new one with my own blistered hands._

He remembered how he’d dragged himself through the merciless desert. He’d crawled up a mountain, every inch he moved a victory against the pain flowing through his battered, exhausted body. The elements themselves conspired to kill him, but he struggled on, sheltering in caves and ignoring the freezing chill of night. He persevered and survived. Sometimes he felt the fact that he was still breathing was in itself his greatest spite against the universe.

He recalled the first day he’d felt anything resembling hope since he’d crashed. A foray into a new cave system led him to a vast underground reservoir of water. The lake seemed to stretch on forever, its edges lost to the blackness of the cave’s interior. He stumbled straight into it, kneeling in the cool, red-tinged waters and lapping them up. The liquid had a chalky taste, but it was pure bliss to his parched throat. _That was the moment when I knew I wanted to go on living._

At the time, he hadn’t realised how important a discovery the lake was. That body of water held the key to his future, and not simply because it kept him alive.

Zurg entered another laboratory, and watched with interest as the Brain Pods went about their work. The squishy pink creatures inhabiting the glass bowls were a familiar sight to him now, but when the first one had splashed up onto the shore one day while he was digging for shellfish in the silt beside the lake, he’d been startled out of his wits. His astonishment had only increased when the creature spoke to him.

Zurg was never one to be knocked off his feet long, however. As he learned more about the creatures, a plan started forming in his mind. It wasn’t long before he’d figured out how to use them like he used every other opportunity that came his way. When he realised he was dealing with a race of genius pseudopods, he quickly set them to work. All it had taken was the promise of seeing the stars—they were great seekers of knowledge, longing to reach the thousands of worlds shining above them—and he’d convinced them to help him fix what remained of his ship.

How many other people could have accomplished that? How many others would’ve kept on trying after they’d lost everything? Life had thrown a thousand chances to give up at him, and he’d thrown them all back. He’d taken the meagre hand he’d been dealt and he’d won the whole game with it. _Look what I’ve built,_ he thought, gazing around his Dreadnought. _Look what I’ve accomplished! I rule a whole galaxy now! I survived it all and came out on top!_

He deserved everything he had. He deserved his victory. And most of all, he deserved his revenge.


	59. Chapter 58

"Well?" he asked. "What’s the word? Is it time?"

She nodded solemnly. "It is time."

* * *

During their stay on Karn, Booster had taken to writing letters to his parents. They were usually short—just a brief summary of his day, and then a few words about how he was feeling. He never sent them, of course. But he filed each one away carefully and imagined the responses he might receive. Pa would probably tell him how the farm was doing—he’d talk about the weather and the crops and whether or not any of the moozles were sick. Ma would spend most of her letter asking him how _he_ was, followed by words of encouragement. Gramps would give all his usual unsolicited advice. Buster... Buster would talk about all sorts of things. He’d tell Booster how the family was coping with everything, he’d relate a few funny things Gramps had said, he’d reminisce about stuff they’d done when they were kids... Booster missed hearing from his old best friend.

Thinking of friends brought XR and Mira to mind immediately. It was still awhile before the cruisers would reach Zurg. He decided he would write his missing teammates a letter.

_Dear XR and dear Mira,_ he began, typing on his console. _I hope you guys are okay. I miss you a lot. What have you been up to? We’ve been fixing 42 and stuff. There’s also been some trouble here because... well, I’ll tell you when I see you in person. That’ll be great, won’t it? The four of us together again! We should all go out for pizza or something!_

Booster stared at the message. Pizza—the fate of the galaxy was at stake and he was writing stupid imaginary letters about pizza. What was he thinking? _I’m a Star Command professional,_ he thought. _It’s time for me to grow up!_ With a few forceful taps he erased the message.

"Something wrong, Booster?" Buzz had turned around to look at him.

"No." Booster shrugged.

"It’s okay to be nervous..."

"I’m not nervous!" There was an awkward pause as Booster realised he’d spoken the words louder than he intended. He relaxed. "Sorry, Buzz. But I’m fine, I swear. I mean, um, I’m worried we might not win... I don’t want Zurg to get away with everything he’s done... but I’m not nervous. I promise." Booster was surprised to realise he meant it too. Plenty of things were still troubling him, especially the evil Buzz’s plan to doublecross them and the way Buzz didn’t seem concerned about it at all, and he was always scared something would happen to the people he cared about, but he realised that wasn’t the same as being nervous. He wasn’t shaky and sweaty like he usually was before an important mission. A strange calm had come over him.

_I guess after everything that’s happened, there kinda stopped being a point to being nervous._ He’d watched his homeworld get taken over, and then the whole Galactic Alliance. He’d watched what he thought had been the death of XR and Mira. Why should this mission rattle him after he’d been through all that?

"Buzz," he asked softly, "what do you think will happen if we do defeat Zurg?"

There was a creak as Buzz leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin. "I don’t know, Booster," he said at last. "But things will get better. That much I can guarantee."

"Yeah, I guess... for us." He sighed. "Not for everyone who died."

Buzz nodded, his jaw clamped shut grimly. Booster knew he was still blaming himself for not stopping all the deaths.

"It wasn’t your fault, you know," he whispered to his captain. "Even what happened on Jo-Ad. I know you promised to protect it, and you failed, but I don’t blame you, honest."

"I had a duty to protect the citizens of the galaxy."

"Zurg was the one who—"

"And I never should’ve let him succeed!" Buzz slammed his fist on the console. "Do you know how often I go over it in my head? I think of all the times I could’ve stopped him... I’m sure I had plenty of shots over the years, if I’d just tried harder!" He turned away, staring straight ahead. "That’s why today is the day we make things right. Today I’m going to stop Zurg or die trying. Him or me, Booster—him or me."

Booster said nothing.

Glancing down at his screen, Buzz drew his eyebrows together. "Look sharp, Ranger. It’s almost time."

* * *

Zurg was seated in his throne once again, and he found himself tapping on the armrest in anticipation. Soon they would be reaching their destination. "This will be a glorious day," he announced to no one in particular. "A day when old boundaries are broken and new conquest begins! Today my empire stretches forth its iron fist beyond the confines of this one puny galaxy and sets the universe trembling!" He cast his eyes down. "Wouldn’t you agree, Madam President?"

The woman was standing beneath the throne, her arms folded. Several Hornets were watching her, though their presence was more a precaution than anything else. Zurg didn’t think she would try anything. "We’ll see," she said.

"Consider yourself privileged to be here to witness it."

A snort from her told him what she thought of that privilege.

_To think, after all this time, she still has so much fight left in her._ He almost admired her spirit—it reminded him of himself. But it was also rather annoying. "A pity little Grub 128112 isn’t here as well," Zurg continued, amused by the way the president glared when he said the Grub’s name. "I’m sure he would’ve enjoyed it."

"He’s not the adoring little lackey he used to be," she retorted. "He doesn’t take pleasure in destruction and suffering like you do."

"How boring."

She eyed him with disgust. Zurg smiled back sweetly.

The emperor wondered what he would do with One-Two after the Grub was out of hospital. He certainly wasn’t letting the spineless traitor back onto his personal staff, that was certain. _I suppose I’ll need to look for a new assistant. A shame, really—One-Two was the best worker I ever had._

It felt as if everyone had betrayed him. One-Two, Warp, the evil Buzz Lightyear, and the Xlgta so long ago. Was there anyone he could trust? _Myself,_ he thought. _That’s all I need._

"What’s our ETA?" he asked the Grubs at the helm.

"Twelve minutes," one of them announced. "We should be in position by then."

"Excellent." It was possible the bomb would work just fine right where they were, but he didn’t want to deal in mere possibilities—he needed certainties. He had to detonate it in the exact position the old rift had been in when he came through it all those years before. That would give him the best chance of opening a new one to the right place.

"Huh?" One of the Grubs peered intently at its screen, its antennae twitching. "I’m getting some strange—"

Flashes of light lit up the streaking starfield. _Other ships arriving,_ Zurg realised instantly. He jumped to his feet, craning to get a better view.

The vessels that appeared gleamed brightly; that infuriatingly bright white that was so impractical in the dirty business of warfare. Only one organisation was foolish enough—or optimistic enough—to paint their ships such a colour. Zurg glared at the winged blue emblem that marked each vessel’s hull. The ship in front bore the two numerals he hated most in the universe. "42," he hissed. "Lightyear!"

Whispers rippled through the ranks. The Grubs were staring at the ships with wide, frightened eyes. A pair of gasps had escaped the mouths of the president. There was no fear on her face now. Instead, it glowed with something that looked too much like hope.

"Don’t just stand there, you ninnies!" Zurg snarled. "Open fire!"

Already the Star Command vessels were attacking his outer ships. Sitting down again, Zurg was suddenly very glad he’d taken almost his whole fleet with him. At the time it had seemed like overkill to bring so many ships on a mission that might end in nothing if XL’s device didn’t work, but now it was the one thing saving him from a quick defeat. _Thank the galaxies they only have five cruisers,_ he thought. Even one ship with Lightyear on it was a threat, but Buzz would find himself hard-pressed to defeat a whole armada with a mere five battered star cruisers.

His relief was short-lived. Space was illuminated again as more ships began to appear alongside the fleet. Zurg gripped the sides of his throne tightly, the metal shrieking as his claws scraped across it. His eyes bulged. _So many!_ And then he recognised the vessels. They weren’t star cruisers, they were a mismatched fleet of ordinary ships belonging to a variety of alien races, but they’d all been kitted out with the latest in evil weaponry...

"No!" He raised a fist and shook it vainly in the air. "NO!" He’d never dreamed... never even imagined the two Buzzes might... "Kill them!" he yelled. "Kill them now! Destroy! Incinerate! Blast them out of the sky!"

* * *

The Rangers had listened in astonishment as Rocket outlined their mission. They were gathered in the launch bay, and Ty saw LGMs already prepping the cruisers for take-off.

"Ranger Parsec," Rocket announced.

_Oh, here we go._ He sighed inwardly. _This is the part where he tells me I have to stay and watch the station while everyone else goes off to fight._ He’d been expecting it, but that didn’t make it any easier.

"Ty," said Rocket, "you’ll be in charge of this fleet. I’m counting on you to make us all proud out there. I know you got it in you, man."

_Yeah, just like I fig—_ Ty blinked. "Wait, what? Really?"

Rocket nodded. "Can’t think of a better Ranger for the job. Think you’re up to it?"

"Oh, you bet!" He grinned and only just stopped himself from punching the air. _Focus, Parsec, this is serious business._ "I won’t let you down, sir." He saluted.

As soon as the briefing was over, the crews hurried to their respective ships. Ty’s team followed him across the ramp to their cruiser. "Wow," whispered Petra. "This... wow. This is big."

Ty paused as he reached for the first rung of the ladder. "If you want to stay on the station instead, I’m sure I can find someone to fill in for you," he told her gently. "It’s not a problem."

"No." She shook her head. "I’m a Ranger now—I can do this."

"Fair enough. Just realise what you’re getting into. If we lose this one, Zurg’s probably not gonna let any of us come back alive."

She shrugged. "If Zurg stays in power, what’s there to, like, come back to anyway? I can handle it, I promise—I want to do this."

Ty nodded. "Good. Come on, Rangers, let’s get this show on the road!"

* * *

A thousand previous encounters were flashing through Buzz’s mind. The time he’d stopped Zurg from ruining the Holiday, the time he’d freed Roswell from the emperor’s occupation, the time he’d pulled down the Hyper Death Ray so Zurg couldn’t destroy Star Command, and a hundred other battles even before then. He remembered wrestling with him across the rocky lava fields of Sentilla VI, rolling through the ash and dirt as he struggled to get the upper hand. Farther back—much farther back—he remembered his first clash with the emperor, when he was still just a rookie with something to prove. He remembered the first time Zurg had cursed his name.

_If I’d stopped Zurg any one of those times, we wouldn’t be out here now, fighting for our lives._

He swerved to avoid an oncoming torpedo. His reflexes were still finely honed, the product of over twenty years of service. He wasn’t worried about Zurg’s goons shooting him down. In fact, he’d already disabled four of the smaller vessels that had swarmed around him. His experience beat their vast numbers, hands down. Zurg’s people weren’t strategists—they followed orders, plain and simple, and Zurg couldn’t direct every single ship personally.

He wondered what Zurg was thinking. _Bet this is his worst nightmare—two Buzz Lightyears on the attack._ Buzz glanced to the left, where the Valkyran raider that his double commanded was ploughing through a wave of purple fighters. _I just hope it doesn’t turn out to be my nightmare too._

An orange flare erupted as the Valkyran ship sent one of the fighters careening into another, and both went up in a brilliant explosion. _Zurg wanted him for his savagery,_ Buzz thought. _I wonder if he regrets that now._

He was proud to see how well his cruisers were holding up. They’d taken a heavy beating during the last battle, but the patch-up jobs were holding and his Rangers were fighting with a determination born out of desperation. They didn’t have anything to lose, so they were throwing themselves into the fight unreservedly. The mercenaries weren’t doing a bad job, either, he had to admit, turning his attention to them. Their numbers had done much to even the odds with Zurg, and they were viciously shooting down every ship that came near.

Buzz wasn’t sure how to feel every time he saw one of Zurg’s ships get destroyed. As the debris rocketed outwards into the cold vacuum of space, he thought of the lives that had just been extinguished. Grubs mostly, and perhaps a few Brain Pods. He knew they were fighting for evil and wouldn’t hesitate to kill him or his Rangers given the chance, but he couldn’t help feeling they didn’t deserve to die like this. In their own way, they were just as much victims of Zurg as anyone else. He wished he could’ve gotten more defectors off Planet Z back in the days of Shiv Katall.

_Now’s not the time for mercy, though,_ he thought with a sigh, yanking down the controls to slip 42 under a war cruiser that was barrelling towards them. _That comes later, if we win._

He cast his eyes in the direction of the Valkyran raider again. It had left a trail of disabled and exploded fighters in its wake, which drifted through the void like dead flies floating on the surface of a pond. More ships were closing in to block the raider’s path, but Buzz wondered if they would be enough. He didn’t think so. _He’s making for the Dreadnought. He’s gonna try to sneak aboard, first chance he gets._

Buzz knew he had to get 42 to the Dreadnought as well. There was no doubt in his mind that his double was capable of pulling off his plan. This was a man who hadn’t simply conquered an entire galaxy like Zurg had done, he’d reduced it to ruins. He’d survived things that would’ve killed anyone else. _He’s me,_ thought Buzz. _And if anyone could do it, I could._

As relieved as he would be to see Zurg taken care of once and for all, he didn’t want the other Buzz to be the one to do it. It was entirely possible Zurg’s reign would look like the rule of a gentle philanthropist in comparison to what his double had planned. He had to get onto that ship and stop both of them.

42 lurched as a laser blast struck the side of the hull. Buzz checked the diagnostic readouts, but the damage seemed to be minimal. It hadn’t done the cruiser’s paint job any favours, however. _She’s been through a lot lately,_ he thought, patting his console. _You deserve a long rest after this, baby._

Veering the ship to the right, he nodded to Booster who proceeded to open fire on the war cruiser that was attacking them. A souped-up Delterrian transport belonging to the mercenaries swooped in to join them, and together they drove the attacker away.

Buzz surveyed the battlefield again. They were making a dent in Zurg’s forces, that was for sure. He imagined the look of displeasure on the emperor’s face, and it brought a certain degree of satisfaction to him. Zurg deserved to be angry and scared.

A Shragarakian ship flew past, firing at some of the smaller ships in front. It seemed to be taking some of the heat off the Valkyran raider. _He’s got ‘em all working neatly together,_ Buzz thought. He remembered the fleet the Galactic Alliance had assembled above Capital Planet, made up of so many different ships. Unlike this fleet, those vessels actually belonged to their proper owners. Shragarakians flew Shragarakian ships, Delterrians were in Delterrian ships, Phlegmians in Phlegmian vessels, and so on. It was the greatest moment of cooperation he’d ever witnessed amongst the Alliance members. _Still wasn’t enough to stop Zurg, though._

The raider was getting closer and closer to the Dreadnought. Sometimes it had to break off and retreat a little when too many war cruisers tried to corner it, but the other Buzz was relentless in the pursuit of his goal. He’d already taken out three war cruisers with his battered old Valkyran ship, and the remaining cruisers seemed to be getting skittish around him.

A large red beam struck out, narrowly missing the raider. The Dreadnought had opened fire on it. _Zurg doesn’t want him getting too close. He knows as well as I do what’ll happen if that Buzz gets onboard._

"Come on, Booster!" Buzz poured more power into the engines. "Hang onto your hat, we’ve got to reach the Dreadnought!"

* * *

Zurg had had a lot of bad days, but this one took the cake _and_ the bunzel muffins! He was only just managing to resist the urge to growl and curse out loud as he watched the newly-arrived ships tear into his fleet. To make matters worse, the Valkyran raider that he knew belonged to the evil Buzz Lightyear seemed to be heading straight for him. He’d ordered his fleet to surround the Dreadnought and defend it, but Lightyear was undeterred.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, the president was laughing. She actually _dared_ to laugh at his predicament. "What’s wrong, Zurg?" she jeered. "Don’t like the taste of your own medicine?"

"I hold your life in my hands, Madam President!" he snapped back. "So watch your mouth—both of them!"

There was a disturbing lack of fear in the scowl she responded with.

_Things can’t fall apart now! Not now!_ Zurg curled his hands into fists. "Fire up the engines!" he ordered. "Get us back into hyperspace! We have to get to Planet Z!"

"What about the rest of the fleet?" one of the Grubs asked.

"Forget them! Let them keep the Rangers and these turncoat thugs busy! All that matters is us!" _Me._ "If we can get to Planet Z, we’ll be safe, and we can open the trans-spacial rift from there!"

A muffled boom shuddered through the bridge. Zurg stumbled and grabbed hold of his chair, lowering himself back into it and gripping the sides again. He didn’t want to take a tumble to the floor like he almost had during the last battle. _Oh, I wish this stupid throne had seatbelts! I knew I should’ve complied with those dratted space safety regulations!_

The Grub gulped. "The hyperspace engines have been hit! They’re offline!"

"Lightyear!" Zurg snarled. He knew it was him. He didn’t care which one. "Quick, get them operational again!"

"I’m not sure it’ll be that easy, my evil emperor," one of the Brain Pods objected.

"DO IT!"

The Brain Pod and several other minions scurried off the bridge. "How long will it take us to get there on thrusters?" Zurg asked the Grub.

"Um... six months." The Grub quivered and had to sidestep a sudden blast from Zurg’s eyes. "Forgive me, O Evil One, but Planet Z is still some distance away, and thrusters aren’t meant for long-range travel!"

Letting the angry heat drain from his eyes, Zurg hissed. "Fine! If this is how Lightyear wants it, we’ll have our last little showdown right here! This can be the place where he meet his end!"

"Or the place where you lose," said the president, one mouth pulled up in a smirk.

"That’s quite enough from _you._ " Zurg gestured to one of the Hornets, and it smacked her across the face with its hard metal arm. The sound of the slap was drowned out by her cry of pain as she crumpled, clutching her face.

Experiencing a brief moment of satisfaction, Zurg turned back to the battle. His smile faded. Things weren’t going well at all. Space was littered with the debris of his ships and precious little debris from the enemy vessels. Everywhere he looked, another fighter or cruiser of his was getting shot up into a giant piece of swiss cheese.

_They’re panicking,_ he thought. _They’re like frightened bunnies! They can’t fight like this!_ Pressing the comm button on his armrest, he cleared his throat. "Listen up, you brainless, cringing little wastes of matter! A squad of cookie-selling Junior Rangers could do a better job than you’re doing now! You go out there and you destroy every last one of those ships, or so help me, I’ll crush you all like bugs beneath one of my own feet! Is that CLEAR?!" He paused. "And remember, the person who kills Lightyear eats free next cake day!" A little bribery slipped in with the threats never hurt.

Changing the transmit frequency, he patched himself through to the labs. "Lackeys, what’s the status on the trans-spacial bomb?"

"Still primed and ready for deployment, Evil Emperor," the nervous voice of a Brain Pod answered.

"Good. Stand by for further orders. Zurg out." He tapped his mouth. There was no telling where the trans-spacial rift might lead if he opened it up right here. On the other hand, his chances of getting to Planet Z’s system weren’t looking too good anymore. _It might be my only escape._ But if he opened the rift with Rangers around, what would happen if they went through as well?

"A last resort," he decided, muttering the words under his breath. "Something to fall back on if all else fails..."

The ship shook again. The Valkyran raider and several other enemy vessels were now far too close for comfort and doing their best to blast through the hull of his beautiful Dreadnought. Zurg wagged a finger at the Grub operating weapons, and it looked at him as if to say it was already doing its best. Thick red beams kept lighting up the perpetual night of space as they fired back at the attacking ships, but Lightyear appeared all too good at dodging.

The Valkyran raider seemed to be trying to get alongside the massive roll-up door of the Dreadnought’s landing bay. The landing bay was positioned directly beneath the bridge, and when he looked down, Zurg could see the raider circling around it, darting away whenever the Dreadnought fired. One thing consoled Zurg, and that was the renewed determination sweeping through his fleet. The ships were swarming around the Dreadnought now to protect it, fiercely fending off any attackers. They kept Lightyear from getting too close.

The other Buzz—the good one—was still further out, but he was trying to punch his way through the ring of defense. One of the war cruisers was spewing out a stream of Hornets, and the robots surrounded 42 like hungry mosquitoes. Green blasts from their guns left black scorch marks across the hull, but Zurg knew they didn’t have enough firepower to do any real damage. Buzz had already blown half of them to smithereens.

"Deploy our own Hornets!" Zurg ordered. "Have them target the Valkyran ship!" It might slow the evil Lightyear down a little.

"Give it up, Zurg." The president was standing up again, wiping the blood from her lips. "Your time is done!"

He favoured her with a hot glare. "Not likely! My ships are pushing yours back and we still outnumber you! As long as my useless staff can keep their nerve, we have a good chance of winning this!"

"Oh really? Against Buzz Lightyear?"

"I beat him twice before!" He tried to ignore the nagging voice that reminded him he’d only been fighting _one_ Buzz those times, and on the second occasion it was the second Buzz who had actually won him the battle. "You’ll find I don’t go down easily, Madam President!"

"Neither do we," she said softly.

He was starting to wish he hadn’t let her come.

Several war cruisers closed in on the Valkyran raider, followed by a swarm of Hornets. The ship was forced to back away, retreating ever further from the Dreadnought. The Hornets surrounded it and attacked from all sides, too many for the raider to take out at once. Several of the other enemy ships joined the raider to help it fight off the robots, but one of them cracked open and exploded under the combined fire of the three war cruisers. Zurg allowed himself to smile again.

Lightyear continued to lose the ground he’d fought so hard for, and Zurg could feel the confidence growing within his own fleet. His pilots were no longer letting fear govern their thinking, and they were now on the offensive as they should be, instead of the _de_ fensive.

"Er, Evil Emperor..." The Grub at the helm wrung its hands. "I’m, uh, picking up more energy signatures..."

"What? How? They can’t have any more ships!" _Who could it possibly—?_

A fleet of star cruisers dropped out of hyperdrive, and Zurg sank into his chair and groaned. "Star Command..."


	60. Chapter 59

The Raenok high council had been busy ever since the fall of the Galactic Alliance. They’d held an emergency session immediately after the Alliance had surrendered, to discuss the situation. Some, particularly Minister Kleev, had been eager to take advantage of it. He suggested going on the offensive against Zurg and conquering the whole galaxy in one well-orchestrated strike. Others had pointed out that such a move would be suicide. Zurg had just defeated Star Command, something the Raenoks themselves had never been able to do. If they wouldn’t even risk open warfare with the Galactic Alliance, how could they dare provoke the man who had brought down that alliance?

Varg had been unable to deny this logic, though he secretly longed to authorise Kleev’s plan. It was reckless and daring and bold, exactly the kind of action he loved. If they could pull it off, it would be their most glorious victory ever. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a gamble they could risk their whole empire on.

The option they’d been forced to take had left a bitter taste in his mouth. They’d come to Zurg offering peace, assuring him they would keep to their corner of the galaxy if he promised to leave them alone. The emperor had signed the agreement with a laugh, and deep down Varg feared he regarded the whole thing as a joke and might change his mind at any moment. But it was some small measure of security, and the high council seemed satisfied. Since then, they’d recalled all their ships and doubled the security around Raenok. Peace agreement or no peace agreement, it couldn’t hurt to be well defended.

Varg strolled across one of the inner courtyards of the tower, lost in thought. He passed several gun turrets. Every inch of the city was armed and ready to be defended at a moment’s notice. From birth, all Raenoks were trained as warriors, and though only the most skilled entered the military and completed their training, all were capable of fighting as soldiers should the need arise. It was a practice that had served them well—Raenok remained proud and unconquered after centuries of faring into the depths of space and meeting countless hostile forces. Other planets had gone through alien dictator after alien dictator, but the Raenoks had always stood their ground. Even the Galactic Alliance had failed to plant its flag on their soil.

Varg himself had clawed his way to the top—quite literally—and took his duties as seriously as he took every battle. He fought for the good of Raenok on all fronts, be it through seizing fusion crystals or political scheming. Few leaders in the empire’s history had been as popular as he was. His inner circle had gone to great lengths to get him back after the Galactic Alliance arrested him, something that would never have been done for any of his predecessors. Even rival political clans respected him.

Now though, the great warrior—the victor of a hundred battles—was afraid. Reports were trickling in from various sources, hinting at trouble between Zurg and the Rangers. Some even said Buzz Lightyear had returned and was hounding Zurg once more, determined to defeat him once and for all. Varg didn’t know if any of it was true, but the rumours had left him wary. If the balance of power tipped again, would the Raenoks be able to keep their galactic footing?

"Supreme Commander Varg!" A guard entered the courtyard, bowing.

"Lagmor." Varg nodded. "You have something to tell Varg?"

Lagmor rose. "Raenok patrol capture pair of intruders in Raenok Space!"

Intruders! Were they spies sent by Zurg? Was this the prelude to an invasion? "You bring them here?" he demanded

"Prisoners are in holding cell."

"Good. You take Varg to question them."

Raising his fist in a salute, Lagmor led Varg into the tower and they made their way to the cell block. "Something Varg should know," said Lagmor. "Prisoners ask to see you. Prisoners claim they come to talk to Raenoks."

"Hmm." Varg didn’t like it. Nobody invaded Raenok Space unless they had a very good reason for doing so, or were just plain stupid.

They reached the holding area. Lagmor saluted the other guards and opened the door. "Prisoners in here." He pointed to one of the cells.

Varg stepped in. "Who are pathetic scum who violate Raenok border—" He stopped short when he saw the occupants of the cell. One was entirely unfamiliar, some kind of generic autopilot, but the other... His eyes narrowed and his fists began to clench.

"Hey there, Vargy!" The robot leaned against the cell door and peered up at him. "Long time no see!"

"Loudmouth robot!" Varg slammed a fist into the bars, bending them inwards and sending the robot scurrying behind its bunk.

The other robot shrugged. "I knew it. I’m not the only one who hates you. I feel so validated right now."

"Varg doesn’t hate me, do you, ol’ buddy?" The robot Ranger shot a nervous glance in Varg’s direction. "This is just your gruff, manly Raenok way of showing affection, right?"

"Robot die! Robot die now!"

The robot’s face froze into a look of terror. "Or maybe not."

Pounding on the door controls to open the cell, Varg grabbed him by the arms and held him in the air, squeezing tightly. "Varg crush robot!"

"No, wait!" the robot gasped. "Varg, please, you gotta listen to me! I came all this way to talk to you!"

"Ha! Varg not believe your lies! Varg no want to listen to robot!" He continued to squeeze, feeling the metal beginning to buckle beneath his hands. The robot screamed.

"Oh, for galaxy’s sake, I have a headache," groaned the other robot. "Put him down already and let’s talk about this in a civilised way!"

Varg glared at him. "Legless robot shut up or legless robot die too!"

"I have a name, you know." The robot folded his arms. "I’m Autopilot-99, but you can call me 99. That’s only two digits—even a Raenok can remember _that_ , I’m sure."

Dropping XR, who landed with a clunk and several dramatic moans, Varg advanced towards the autopilot. "Legless robot starting to annoy Varg."

The robot’s eyes widened. "Wait, I didn’t mean any offense!"

"Varg, please, listen!" XR begged, still lying on the floor. "We have something important to talk about! The fate of the whole galaxy may depend on it!"

Pausing, Varg looked back at the Star Command robot. He seemed earnest, and Varg didn’t take him for a good liar anyway. "You talk quick. Maybe Varg listen, maybe Varg kill you when robots get too annoying. You start now!"

* * *

"The Space Rangers to the rescue, huh?" Buzz was smiling as he watched the fleet of star cruisers plunge into the fray. "Feels just like old times."

Standing beside him, Savy swallowed nervously. He was in a dangerous mood. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. "Looks like that Nova person came through after all." It was hard to sound casual with her heart thumping so hard.

"Let’s hope they keep Zurg busy long enough for us to complete our mission."

Savy nodded. _Crap, surely he can see how scared I am? He’s gonna realise something’s up._ Ever since she’d revealed his plans to the other Buzz, she’d been expecting him to confront her about it. Somehow he was going to guess and then it would all be over and he’d kill her and—

"Get a grip, kid, you’re sweating like a Shragarakian on Mahambas VI." Buzz eyed her with a mixture of irritation and amusement. "I don’t want you wimping out on me now—this is your big moment."

"I know, I know." She breathed in deeply. "I’ve got this, don’t worry."

"Just remember," he whispered, leaning closer, "if you help me win this, you’ll receive greater rewards than you can ever imagine. You screw things up, and I’ll kill you."

She nodded weakly. "Yeah, I understand."

"Good."

The arrival of the star cruisers had taken a lot of the heat off their backs, and they were able to push forward again. Progress was slow and they’d lost a lot of ground, but they inched nearer and nearer to the Dreadnought. Buzz glanced down at his screen, half a smile curving up his face. "Hmm, looks like Lightyear’s following us. I wonder what ol’ Buzz is planning."

"I thought you were supposed to know everything he thought, huh?" Savy folded her arms, an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, I do. And I think I can make a pretty good guess here. He knows we’re planning something and he wants to be right behind us to stop it." Buzz chuckled. "Well, I wish him luck getting onto the Dreadnought after we close that hatch behind us. He doesn’t have a genius hacker along for the ride like I do."

Savy tried to laugh with him. "Yeah, that—that’ll be something to see."

A war cruiser suddenly came up in front of them, seemingly out of nowhere, and started firing rapid laser pulse rounds. Savy jolted with fear and surprise. _There goes twenty years off my life, assuming I have a life after this is over,_ she thought as she grabbed the side of Buzz’s chair to steady herself. The Valkyran raider rocked and the green pulses hammered into the blastshield, sending cracks snaking through the glass.

"Everybody down!" yelled Buzz, ducking and clinging to the maneuvering joystick as he tried to evade the attacker. "Helmets up!"

"Hang onto something, sweethearts!" Torque put up his helmet and wrapped all four arms around some piping on the wall. "Looks like a bumpy ride!"

The ship jerked violently, and Savy toppled to the floor, rolling over several times before hitting into a bulkhead. "Ouch," she murmured, rubbing her head. She felt dizzy and sick but she forced herself back onto her feet and fumbled with the controls on her suit. Everything was still shaking around her.

"We just lost the left thruster wing!" Buzz’s face was contorted into a scowl as he checked the readouts. "Massive structural instability on Deck 2! Hull breach imminent!"

Several more purple ships had joined the war cruiser and were ganging up on the raider. A fresh barrage of fire slammed into the blastshield and Savy saw it begin to rattle. _Craters, come on, where’s the helmet on this thing?_ She wasn’t much good with spacesuits, and this one seemed particularly stubborn. "Oh, come on!" At last, after slamming one of the buttons several times, she was able to sigh in relief as the flexible plastiglass formed a dome over her head.

Another shot hit the windows, and the huge web of cracks finally shivered and gave in. Glass went flying everywhere as the atmosphere vented, bursting through every weak spot in what remained of the blastshield. Savy grabbed the nearest console and clung on as tight as she could, feeling her legs being pulled towards the opening. "Are we close enough yet?" she screamed into her comm.

"We’ll have to be." Buzz had kept his composure and calmly unclipped his seatbelt. "Let’s go!" Pounding a fist to his chest, he activated his jetpack and blasted out through the shattered windows.

"Right behind ya, baby!" Torque followed.

_Crap, I’ve got to do this, oh crap!_ Shutting her eyes, Savy let go and found herself being flung into the void like a leaf tossed by the wind. "Jetpack, jetpack, jetpack!" She was tumbling through empty space and her fingers couldn’t seem to find the jetpack button. _Craters! Which one was it? The big green one, I think?_ Finally finding the right one, she slammed it down. Nothing happened. _No, no, no!_ She tried again and again. _Oh, crap, I’m drifting!_

She waved her arms about, knowing it was useless but hoping she could somehow swim away from the angry field of fire she was heading for. If she didn’t move soon, she’d float right into a shootout between several fighters and a star cruiser.

"Whoa there." Someone grabbed her hand, hauling her away. "Sorry about the suit, kid—I think it’s a bit faulty."

Savy looked up. Buzz had her by the arm and was dragging her towards the Dreadnought. Torque was up in front. Turning her head, she saw the angry, brightly-painted face of the Valkyran raider, half of it now erased by all the blasts. The ship was shuddering ominously.

"We have to get clear before that baby blows," Buzz told her.

"What about the rest of the crew?"

He looked at her with what seemed to be confusion written over his face. "Who cares?"

The realisation came that he wouldn’t have bothered to save even her if he hadn’t still needed her. _He can keep his unimaginable rewards,_ she thought. _I made the right choice._

A Hornet came up between the pair of them and Torque, swivelling its guns to focus on Savy and Buzz. Buzz pulled up sharply, dodging the first shot. He kept his grip on Savy’s arm, and she clung to him in return.

"I wouldn’t try that if I were you, metalhead!" yelled Torque. He aimed a blaster at the robot.

It looked at him for a brief instant before spinning its arms around and firing. The green pulse slammed into Torque and he seemed to pop out of existence.

"Oops! Sorry, Jack, wrong address!" Torque—the real Torque—flew up underneath the Hornet, firing and blasting it to pieces. "Return to sender, baby!"

Buzz nodded appreciatively. "Nice shooting. Now come on!"

The trio flew on, Savy still clinging to Buzz. They passed between several vessels locked in combat, and her heart skipped a beat every time. She felt so exposed out in the middle of space with only her suit to protect her while hundred ships were fighting to the death all around them.

"You ready to crack that lock?" Buzz asked as the huge red-and-yellow Z on the front of the Dreadnought’s hatch came into view.

"I think so." _Craters, what happens if I can’t get it open?_ She decided not to think about that.

* * *

"It’s like this, Varg," XR began. He was acutely away of the Raenok’s brutal gaze bearing down on him. "I’m here on behalf of Star Command—on behalf of the whole Galactic Alliance!"

"Bah! Robot lie."

XR shook his head. "No, it’s true! I swear! Governor Mira Nova herself has authorised me to speak to you." _Okay, so that last part’s sort of a lie. Big deal._ "I’m here to extend the hand of friendship."

Varg remained unimpressed. "Galactic Alliance no longer in control. Zurg rule now, Raenoks already sign treaty with Zurg."

"Ah, but c’mon, Vargy—er, I mean Varg—do you really want Zurg in control?" XR folded his arms. "I don’t think so. You hate him just as much as we do, am I right? Well, remember what Mira offered you back at the big party on Capital Planet?"

Varg squinted at him. "An alliance?"

"Got it in one! An alliance!" Circling around the Raenok, XR held up his hands in a sweeping gesture. "Just think of it! Raenoks and Space Rangers battling together side by side to defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg! Why, it’s the stuff heartwarming, low-budget holovids are made of!"

"Raenoks already give you answer!" snorted Varg. "Answer is no! Raenoks not provoke Zurg!"

"I thought you people were supposed to be brave warriors," remarked AP-99. "So far, I’m not impressed. I’ll give you a five out of ten. Well, maybe a six because you’re looking at me with a scary face right now and I’m starting to become concerned..."

"AP’s right," began XR.

"That’s AP-99 or just 99!" the autopilot broke in. "AP could be _any_ of the robots in my production line!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." XR rolled his eyes. "Anyways, as I was saying, he’s right—you guys are so big on your reputation as fierce scourges of the galaxy, but you’re not even brave enough to take on one overdressed purple tyrant! How do you expect anyone to take you seriously?"

Varg’s face was turning a bright shade of red and he was clenching his fists again. "Enough!" he roared. "Idiot robots not understand! Raenoks like to fight! Raenoks fear nothing! Raenok warriors gladly attack Zurg!"

"Then why don’t you?"

The supreme commander sighed. It was a strange sound, coming from a Raenok. "If warriors only ones in danger, Raenoks go out to fight him right now! Zurg threat to entire Raenok Empire! But if Raenoks make Zurg angry, Zurg kill Raenoks!"

AP-99 folded his arms. "I thought you feared nothing—doesn’t that cover dying?"

"Varg would gladly die for Raenok Empire—all warriors would give lives for Empire! But Zurg not just kill warriors, Zurg might kill all Raenoks!" The anger had gone from Varg’s voice, and XR realised for the first time how worried the supreme commander really was. "Varg no like signing peace treaties. Make Varg sick. But Raenoks have families—Varg have children. Varg keep them safe, keep all Raenoks safe!"

It felt to XR like he was having a conversation with an entirely different person from the warrior who had fought the Rangers on Luma 9 and later held Team Lightyear hostage before trying to execute them. This wasn’t Varg the supreme military commander—this was Varg the leader, Varg the father, Varg the person. He’d have to plan his words carefully. _I wish Mira were here,_ he thought. _She was always better at this._ Mira knew how to be tactful, and XR was forced to admit that he didn’t. "So you say you have children, Varg?"

Varg nodded.

"So did my dad. Wait, that’s fairly obvious, isn’t it? Um, anyway. Do you know why my pop, Commander Nebula, fought against Zurg? Do you know why he... he died?" XR swallowed. "It was to protect his children and all the other children out there! He died defending the people of the Galactic Alliance! He didn’t have the luxury of backing out with non-aggression pacts, no sir! We were already at war with Zurg—a war Zurg started! Fighting was the _only_ way to keep our people safe. There’s gonna come a time, Vargy, when you’ll be in the same boat. Zurg’ll come for you too when he gets bored, and your children will be in just as much danger as they would be now if you joined us. Except this time you won’t have any allies. You’ll be on your own, and you won’t be able to hold Zurg off any more than my pop was able to!"

Varg slammed a fist into the wall, leaving a small impact crater. Plaster sprinkled down from it. "No! Robot wrong! Robot know _nothing_!"

"Aw, admit it, Vargy! I’m right and you know it!" XR stuck his tongue out at him. "Your people are toast unless something’s done about Zurg!"

"Maybe Raenoks not need to fight! Maybe Space Rangers take care of Zurg themselves!"

XR rolled his eyes. "What? Come on, the Space Rangers can’t do anything right now! Our hands are tied—if we move against Zurg openly, he’s got a whole galaxy full of hostages to kill! That’s why we need you!"

Varg snorted. "Robot a liar—Varg know Space Rangers attacking Zurg right now."

"Huh?" XR blinked. "What? Where did you hear that?"

"Varg hear reports. Fighting near Planet Z—Space Rangers attack Zurg’s fleet."

_It can’t be Mira’s doing, can it?_ XR scratched his dome. Realisation suddenly dawned on him. "Of course! Buzz! It’s gotta be him!"

Varg looked pleased. "See! Lightyear defeat Zurg, everything fine. Raenoks do nothing."

"That’s the most pathetic thing I’ve ever heard." AP-99 crossed his arms. "I never thought I’d see the day the _Raenoks_ were bigger wimps than _this_ guy!" He pointed to XR.

"Hey, watch it, pal!" XR waved a fist at him.

"What robot talking about?" demanded Varg.

AP-99 shrugged. "You’re willing to let the Rangers do all your dirty work for you, because you’re too afraid to fight! Even this loser-slash-car-thief over here was willing to risk his life to stop Zurg! He came all the way here, knowing you’d probably try to kill him, on the off-chance he might get you to help! Don’t get me wrong, I hate him as much as you do, but at least give the guy some credit—he’s less of a coward than you are!"

_Uh, careful there, AP—I appreciate the sentiment, but seriously..._ XR eyed Varg apprehensively, waiting for him to explode.

Varg didn’t. He turned back to XR, looking at him curiously. "Why robot come here?"

"Like Mr. Backhanded Compliments over there said—to get help!" XR sighed. "The Alliance needs it. Without you, we’re doomed! Do you think I would’ve come if you weren’t our only hope—if I thought our Rangers had even a chance of defeating Zurg on their own? Believe me, Raenok is not my idea of a fun weekend getaway—no offense. But we _need_ you."

"What about Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear?"

"Buzz? Buzz had five ships last I heard! Now, I know Buzz is a living legend and all, but come on! If he couldn’t defeat Zurg with a whole fleet, then how is he gonna do it with five lousy cruisers? Tell me that, Vargy!"

Stroking his chin, Varg seemed to be weighing it up. XR clasped his hands together, inwardly pleading that the Raenok would make the right choice.

* * *

They hovered outside the great door. Savy had never realised until then just how massive Zurg’s ship was. She felt like a flea on the back of a Jo-Adian moozle.

"Knock, knock," said Buzz, rapping on the red metal of the hatch. "Time to open up."

Letting go of him, Savy pulled out her datapad and scanned through the files. "Okay, here’s my encryption breaker program," she said. "Now I’ve got to connect to Zurg’s systems—hope the signal’s good enough." Her mouth curved into a smile as she detected the onboard computer’s command network. "Okay, should just take a moment or two!"

"Better just be one moment." Buzz eyed her coolly. "We’re on the clock. Any second now Zurg’s gonna detect us and send in his Hornets."

Nodding, Savy urged her computer to work faster. The program was using the dissected encryption files found in the nanobots to root out weaknesses in Zurg’s systems, but this encryption was different from the one he’d used for his communications network. "Please," she whispered.

There was a deep vibration in the giant hatch. Savy saw it and beamed. "Alright!" Slowly, the hatch began to rise, rolling up into the rest of the ship. They didn’t need it to open much—just enough to slip through.

"Let’s go!" ordered Buzz, grabbing Savy and swooping through the gap. Torque zipped in beside them, and they landed in the sweeping landing bay that usually held armies of Hornets and squadrons of small fighters. It was empty now, except for Zurg’s personal shuttle.

"He’ll definitely know we’re here now," said Buzz. "Quick, we have to move!"

Savy pressed the magnetise button on her suit. After a few tries it activated, and she let go of Buzz. "I’ll just be a moment," she called over her shoulder, heading for the controls on the wall. "I’m just gonna close the door and seal it up tight so no one else can get in."

"Good girl." Reaching into his suit, Buzz pulled out a large blue powitzer. "Torque and I are heading for the bridge."

"I’ll catch up," she nodded.

Taking a deep breath, she waited for them to go before starting up the opening sequence again. The hatch rolled further into the ceiling. _I’ve done my bit. It’s your move now, Space Rangers._

* * *

They’d watched the attack on the Valkyran raider with apprehension. Buzz’s fear grew as he realised the ship wasn’t going to make it. He had enough on his own plate to keep him occupied, with dozens of ships blocking the way to the Dreadnought, but he spared a moment to bow his head when the ship finally blew. _Please, don’t let Savy have been aboard._ Behind him, Booster looked equally worried.

Then the giant door near the top of Zurg’s ship began to open. Buzz punched the air. "Good work, Savy!" The kid had done it—she’d made it out alive and she’d opened a way into the Dreadnought.

There were still a few enemy vessels between 42 and the open hatch, but Buzz’s patience was at an end. "Hang on, Booster," he cautioned. "Here we go!"

He threw full power into the thrusters, sending the cruiser hurtling forward. A small warship stood in his path, but he didn’t swerve. Realising at the last second that it was going to lose this game of chicken, the other ship plunged down, narrowly avoiding a collision. No one else dared block them after that. The Dreadnought was still trying to bring them down with its guns, but they were moving at such speed that the ship couldn’t seem to get a lock.

"And... slow!" Buzz eased off the throttle, jamming the inertial dampners down. 42 flew through the hatch and came to what would’ve been a screeching halt if the two Rangers could’ve heard anything inside the landing bay. Sparks flew behind them and Buzz suspected they’d scraped a nasty mark across Zurg’s pristine floor. _All the better._ He grinned and jumped out his seat. "Come on, Booster!" he called as he raced out. "Time to stop Zurg!"


	61. Chapter 60

"All Hornets to the landing bay! All Hornets to the landing bay!" Zurg yelled frantically, waving his arms. His worst fear had been realised. Lightyear had boarded his ship. He’d watched in horror as first the hatch opened, and then, a minute later, while the Grubs were still trying to get it closed again, Star Cruiser 42 had crashed through into the landing bay.

"Er, please, forgive me, Your Malevolence," gulped a shaking Grub, "but surely the evil emperor remembers that he sent all the Hornets into the battle?"

Zurg was tempted to fry the Grub where it stood, but the satisfaction would be short-lived and he supposed the act might lower crew morale. "Then recall them! Go down there and fight yourselves if you have to! BUT I WANT LIGHTYEAR STOPPED!"

The Grub nodded and sped away.

Things were looking dire. There was at least one Lightyear aboard, his fleet was outgunned, and he couldn’t find any more of those soothing mints he kept in the secret compartment in his throne. Something had to be done.

"Brain Pods!" He called the labs again. "Have the bomb loaded onto my personal shuttle!"

"Evil Emperor?"

"Do it!"

He flicked the comm off and tried to calm his breathing. _A shuttle is all I need. One shuttle. That’s all I started with before, and I can do it again!_ He just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

"This is it, Zurg," said the president. "Surrender while you’ve still got the chance. You’re lucky—you’ve got the galactic president right here! We can sign the papers straight away."

" _Former_ galactic president," he corrected with a sneer. "Don’t make me turn it into _late_." He glanced at the Hornets beside her. "You two! Guard the doors!"

"Don’t consider me a threat anymore?" the president asked as the robots left to take up their positions beside the doors to the bridge.

Zurg shrugged. "You never _were_ a threat—the Hornets were here simply to keep you out of mischief. Unfortunately, I have more important things to worry about now and I seem to be understaffed." His fingers tapped on the metal armrest of his throne, a nervous beat ringing out across the bridge. He hated being so afraid.

* * *

Savy watched the two figures emerge from the star cruiser.

"Thanks a million, Savy!" Buzz waved to her, dropping down from 42. "Follow me!" He and Booster ran across the landing bay, heading for the doors. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the huge, empty room.

"One second!" she yelled after them. "Gotta close the hatch so none of Zurg’s robots come through!" _Looks like I’ve become a glorified doorman._ She checked her datapad. She was still interfaced with the system and in control, though someone seemed to be trying to cut her off. _Good luck with that._ Grinning, Savy began the closing sequence. She heard the doors to the corridor open and close ahead of her as Buzz and Booster left.

With the touch of a button, the heavy hatch started to roll down again. It creaked and groaned, making a slow descent. Savy pocketed her datapad. "Too late," she said out loud to whichever minions had been trying to sever her connection, though of course they couldn’t hear her. "You lose." _No one beats the girl who shut down NOS-4-A2._

Swivelling around on her heel, she started to run across the landing pad. She had some catching up to do if she wanted to reach Buzz and Booster before the big showdown.

There was a strange feeling in her boots. "Ugh!" She lifted into the air for a moment, then fell face first onto the floor. "Stupid suit!" The magnetiser was playing up. Luckily, the hatch would seal in a moment and then the ship would restore normal gravity. Pulling herself up, she felt her face. Slightly grazed, but not too bad.

There was an electrical hiss from her suit. "Aw, craters!" She found herself lifting into the air again, floating through the emptiness with nothing to hold onto. She began to panic. "Come on, come on, work!" No matter how many times she hit the button, her boots wouldn’t magnetise.

She tried to throw herself forward, grasping at thin air. Her hand suddenly touched upon some scaffolding and she grabbed it. Clinging on as tight as she could, she pulled herself down to the floor and followed a length of piping across the wall to the doors. "Finally," she muttered, opening them. The gravity would be normal in the corridor and she could—

Air rushed through, surprising her with its force and knocking her off her feet. She let go of the piping and found herself tumbling through the landing bay, heading straight for the still half-open hatch. It wasn’t closing fast enough.

_Ohhh crap, I’m an idiot!_ The landing bay was fully depressurised, but the corridor wasn’t. Why hadn’t she realised that? It was the most basic thing!

Savy tried to find something to grab on to, but there was nothing. The force of the escaping air pushed her forward, closer and closer to the hatch. It was almost down, but its achingly slow speed meant it wouldn’t finish before she was sucked out.

She shut her eyes. _Now would be a really good time for my jetpack to finally start working!_

* * *

"Star Cruiser 71!" Ty called into his comm. "Watch your back—you’ve got two hostiles on your tail!"

"Roger, Parsec—thanks!" Turner was sounding better. Her team had taken the loss of Frank Brooks pretty hard, but with a new cruiser and a fresh chance to get even with Zurg, their spirits seemed to have lifted.

"No problem. Parsec out." Ty turned to his own team. "What’s our status, Cadet?"

"Ship’s looking good, sir!" said Petra. "Only minimal damage so far."

Nasreen nodded. "Zurg’s taking far more of a beating than we are."

"About time!" grinned Rusty.

Ty shared their enthusiasm, though he kept it to himself. _Now’s not the time to get emotional—gotta focus. We haven’t won yet._ He could hardly believed he was finally getting his shot against Zurg. He was even leading the charge! It didn’t seem real.

It had taken him awhile to adjust to all the strange ships fighting alongside them. He’d contacted Buzz briefly when he’d arrived, to get up to date on the situation, and Buzz had assured him the ships were on their side, though he warned him to be wary of them. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it—Buzz had been vague, but Ty had the sneaking suspicion these were the same ships that had bombed Capital Planet. But if they helped the Rangers stop Zurg, he wasn’t about to complain.

"Hey, Captain!"

Ty glanced at Petra. "Yeah?"

"Sorry, sir," she said, "but what’s that over there, next to Zurg’s ship? Doesn’t it, like, look kinda like a person?"

Ty followed her outstretched finger. He frowned. "You’re right..." Magnifying the image on his screen, he felt himself grow cold as he saw a small figure in a spacesuit flailing about in the black void, drifting helplessly into the thick of the battle. "Craters, there’s someone out there!"

"One of Zurg’s people?" Nasreen asked.

Ty shook his head. "I don’t think so. It’s not a Grub or Brain Pod, that’s for sure." He clenched his fist. "This is just great. What do we do? We can’t let them die out there!"

"The shuttle," suggested Rusty. "I could go out there and bring them in!"

"Good idea." Their cruiser was closer than any of the others—they had the best shot at rescuing whoever it was. Ty didn’t like it, especially when he thought about the risks to the rescuer, but what else could they do? _I’m not about to let a someone die—not while I have a chance to save them._ It was possible Nasreen was right, and it was one of Zurg’s people after all. Ty didn’t think it mattered. "Prep the shuttle. But you’re not going, Rusty. I am!"

His team stared at him. "You can’t leave!" objected Petra. "You’re the captain! You’re in command of the fleet!"

_Craters, she’s got a point._ "Look, I don’t wanna send someone else out there to do this," said Ty. "It’s too risky. If anyone does it, it’s me." He sighed. "Patch me through to Turner again—looks like she just inherited command." _There goes my first big assignment._

* * *

The corridors were mercifully clear of Hornets. Buzz suspected Zurg had already used them all up. "We have to hurry, Booster!" he panted as they sprinted through the ship. "The other Buzz has already got a pretty big lead on us!"

Booster nodded. "What are we gonna do when we catch up with him?"

"I don’t know, but I’m Buzz Lightyear—I’ll think of something!" He tried to smile, but it was difficult to gasp for breath at the same time. "I always do!"

It was a good thing he’d become intimately familiar with the layout of Zurg’s ship. He already knew where his double was heading—it had to be the bridge, because that was where Zurg would be—and he knew the fastest route to get there. If they were really lucky, maybe they’d arrive before the evil Buzz did.

* * *

It was beginning to sink in that she was going to die. Savy continued to wave her arms about in a manner that resembled the flopping motions of a dying fish, but her heart wasn’t in it anymore. She knew there was nothing for her to grab hold of. _And no Buzz Lightyear to save me this time. Not that he’d care, anyway, since I’ve stopped being useful to him._ She wondered if he’d ever really meant any of the things he’d said to her about her being his protege. _Half of it was probably to keep me on his side while he needed me, and the other half was just for kicks because he likes messing with people._ She’d known it all along, of course, but now she couldn’t understand why she’d eaten it all up anyway. _Boy, I must really be pathetic._

As she drifted closer to group of ships that were wheeling and tumbling and lighting up the space around her with their fire, Savy found her thoughts moving from Buzz to Ozma. The woman had never needed anything from her, yet she’d talked to her anyway. She’d tried to be her friend. Savy wished she’d been more grateful.

_I should’ve said goodbye to her before we left... just like I should’ve said something to my parents before I ran off. I can’t believe I did that to them._ She loved them with all her heart—that was never in doubt—but she’d been quick to leave them when the chance for adventure presented itself. She wondered why she’d never been satisfied with their love. Why had she sought approval from people like Buzz when her own parents cared for her more than anyone else in the universe?

_I guess I’m just plain stupid, which is why I’m about to die._ If she hadn’t been wearing a helmet, she would’ve slapped her forehead. _What kind of idiot makes a mistake like I did?_ Of _course_ there was air on the other side of those doors and of _course_ it would blow her into space. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

If one thing consoled her, it was the knowledge that she’d gone over to the right side in the end. Her doubts had long since fled—she knew which Buzz she was supposed to be helping, and she didn’t regret what she’d done. _I guess my death’ll be worth it if I helped save the galaxy. Ha, not very comforting, but it’s all I got._ She let out a long breath, trying to make peace with her impending fate. _If this works, my parents will be safe, and that’s all that counts. They may not always have known exactly how to raise a human child, and they may not have been as exciting as a gang of space mercenaries, but at least they actually cared. At least I know they loved me._

A shadow fell over her. She looked up. There was a shuttle of some sort directly above her, but she couldn’t make out the type. _Bet it’s one of Zurg’s._ She shut her eyes, waiting for the killing blast she was sure was coming.

Instead, she felt something close around her waist. Opening her eyes again, Savy found that a large metal claw had grasped her. It was attached to a thick black cable. _I’m being reeled in,_ she realised. The shuttle was taking her aboard. _I’m not gonna die!_

She still didn’t know which side the shuttle belonged to, but she no longer cared. Being taken prisoner was better than getting atomised, and she’d already proven she was good with locks. Zurg would have a tough time building a prison she couldn’t escape from.

The shuttle’s hatch opened and she was yanked in. The claw hurt where it clamped around her middle, and she gritted her teeth. Not the most comfortable rescue, but it wasn’t like she could be picky. At least pain meant she was still alive.

Relief came as the claws released. Out the corner of her eye she could see a figure standing over her. Coughing, she pulled off her helmet and let it roll away across the floor. Her hair fell out, hanging limply down to her shoulders instead of sticking up the way she liked. "Thanks," she gasped, looking up to see who her rescuer was.

"Whoa..." There was a sharp whistle from the man standing over her. He was dressed in a Ranger suit, which hopefully meant she didn’t have to worry about any prison cells just yet, and something about him looked vaguely familiar...

"Do I know you?" she asked, pushing herself into a sitting position and rubbing her sides where the claw had dug in.

He continued to stare at her with a pair of wide, owlish eyes. "It’s you!"

"Yeah, me." She shrugged.

"Savy SL2!"

"You know my name, huh?" Trying to stand, she felt a wave of dizziness come over her and decided the floor wasn’t such a bad place to be after all. "Still haven’t answered my question, Ranger guy. Have we met?"

He was grinning. "Oh, yeah, you bet." Reaching out a hand, he helped her up and led her to one of the chairs. There wasn’t much room in the shuttle, but Savy felt she’d had enough of wide open spaces anyway.

"Care to refresh my memory?" she prompted.

He put his hands on his hips, eyebrows raised in amusement. "Tangea? Torque? Me almost getting killed? Ringing any bells?"

_Oh. Ohhh. Crap._ "...that was you?" She blushed. "Uh, sorry."

"Don’t apologise to me," he said. He didn’t sound mad, which was something at least. "Save it for your parents. Do you have any idea how worried they’ve been?"

Her blush deepened. "I never meant to... I only did this because... Look, we can go through all this later. Just tell me—are my folks okay?"

Sitting down beside her, he nodded. "They’ve been calling Star Command practically every day, asking if there’s been any sign of you. But they’re fine. They’re still on Tangea."

Savy sank down into her seat. "I miss them so much..." she whispered.

"I still owe them—I gave them my word on something," said Ty. "I promised I’d get you home." He brightened. "It’s a promise I intend to keep—so let’s win this fight and try not to get killed in the process!"

"Works for me!"

* * *

Half his fleet was gone. Another quarter was barely functional. He couldn’t sit there in denial any longer. Zurg rose slowly from his throne. His body felt like it was made of lead. He wondered how long it would be before he sat in a throne again. "Grubs," he called, almost choking on the words. "Tell the fleet they have only one objective now—to defend _me_!"

"But Evil Emperor," said a Grub, "isn’t that what they are already doing? The fleet is blocking the enemy access to the Dreadnought."

Zurg began his journey across the catwalk that led from the throne to a pair of doors. Soon he would leave his beloved bridge behind him. "I’m not talking about the Dreadnought," he told them. "Have my shuttle prepared for launch."

There were confused murmurs from below. Did he detect a hint of betrayal?

"So that’s it, huh, Zurg?" the president scoffed. "Abandoning your people so you can make good your escape? You’d see every one of them die if it meant your freedom!"

He spun around. "Yes! Yes I would! It’s their _job_!" He glared down at the little green lackeys. "Isn’t that right?"

They nodded feebly. "We live to serve," came their unified response.

"See!" Zurg turned his back on them, his cape flapping at the suddenness of his movements. "It’s what they want!"

"You’re a coward!" the president called after him.

"I like to think of myself as a survivor!" He reached the doors and smashed his talons into the controls. They opened.

"Hello, Zurg."

Zurg found himself stumbling back. "Lightyear..."

The features were familiar, but the horrible grin pasted across the man’s face—promising all sorts of pains and torments that Zurg didn’t even want to guess at—had no place on the visage of his arch foe. He almost wished it _was_ his Buzz staring back at him. Anything but this man with his devilish blue beard and ice cold eyes.

Zurg backed away, thoughts in a whirl as he panicked. He suddenly felt helpless.

"I’ve missed you," said Lightyear, still grinning. The familiar four-limbed figure of Torque followed him in. Seven more Torques were right behind him.

"Hornets!" Zurg called, his voice almost a squeak.

The pair of Hornets flew up to join him—and were blasted to pieces by the Torques before they had even landed. "Too easy, sweetheart! Next time give us more of a challenge, baby!"

Buzz advanced towards him. "You’re finished, Zurg. Everything you have is mine now. And everything you did to me is gonna seem like a day in the park petting puppies compared to what I’ve got planned for you!" He laughed.

Zurg gulped. _Stop panicking,_ a voice within ordered him. _It’s not over yet! You have to_ think _!_ In a lightning-swift motion, he ducked for cover behind his throne and transformed his hand into an ion canon, firing wildly at his enemies. Several of the Torques were hit, but Lightyear somersaulted out the way.

Zurg raised his hand to fire again, only to have it jerked back as Lightyear blasted the gun off it. His wrist stinging, Zurg sunk down lower, desperately trying to come up with a new strategy.

"Give it up, Zurg." Lightyear strode across the catwalk. "I win."

_This would be the perfect time to announce evil never wins,_ Zurg thought, stifling a hysterical giggle. Reluctantly, he rose, holding his hands in the air. He met Lightyear’s smug gaze with a look of bitter disgust. If he was quick, he could probably shoot a blast of hot energy from his eyes before Buzz could dodge, but there were still too many Torques. He’d be shot down in seconds.

"No matter how many universes I beat you in," said Lightyear, crossing the distance between them, "I’ll never get tired of watching you surrender." With a sudden jab, he slammed the butt of his gun into Zurg’s stomach, causing him to double over.

Falling to his knees, Zurg clutched his middle and stared furiously up at the man who was now filling the silence with mocking laughter. _I wonder if this is how the president felt when I won,_ a stray thought entered his mind. He looked down, but couldn’t see any sign of her. Apparently she’d done the smart thing and fled as soon as the Hornets stopped guarding the doors.

_I should’ve left while I had the chance._

Fresh pain hit him as Lightyear kicked him in the face with a hard boot. Zurg rolled onto his back, groaning.

"Ready to admit defeat yet?" Lightyear taunted, kneeling beside him. Zurg said nothing and tried to pull away as the man slipped a knife out of his glove. "No?" Buzz leaned closer. "Still think you can kill me somehow, maybe?" He smiled. "Guess again, Zurg."

There was a flash of movement and then Zurg found himself crying out as searing pain burned within his skull. He thrashed about, desperate for it to stop. Something jerked away from his face, lessening the agony slightly. He pressed his hands to his head and curled up on the floor, his eyes shut tight. Liquid seemed to be trickling down from one of them. When he hesitantly touched the socket, he drew a sharp intake of breath. It felt all wrong. He tried opening his eyes, but only one would open. A glance at his hands showed they were covered in blood.

"Watch him," Lightyear told Torque. He turned to the terrified Grubs huddled blow. "Listen up, you pathetic little kiss-ups," he announced. "You’re under new management now. Everyone clear on that?"

There was a moment of silence. Buzz fired his powtizer at the floor several times, leaving a circle of black burn marks around the frightened group. They quickly nodded their assent.

"Good," said Lightyear. He turned to Torque. "Which of the boys is carrying our secret weapon?"

Torque pointed out the viewport to one of the mercenaries’ ships.

"Tell him to bring it aboard."

Still trying to stem the blood that was running down his face, Zurg looked up at them. "What... secret weapon?" he asked, his voice shaky.

Lightyear laughed again. "Oh, you’ll find out soon enough, Zurg."

* * *

Nothing felt right without Frank by her side—she wasn’t sure anything would ever feel quite right again—but it felt damn good being given command. Turner had wasted no time in urging on the rest of the cruisers, making it clear that no mercy would be shown to Zurg. _He didn’t show any to us, so I’m not going to give him a single iota._ She knew it wasn’t a very Rangerly attitude to want revenge, but she couldn’t help feeling a certain satisfaction every time she saw one of Zurg’s ships go up in a ball of flames. She tried to tell herself that she should feel sorry for the poor Grubs and Brain Pods onboard. They were just mindless minions, after all, who were forced to do Zurg’s dirty work. But those same mindless minions had been responsible for Frank’s death.

"Woohoo!" yelled Janet. "Just busted another one!"

The cruiser raced past the stationary wreck of the ship they’d just disabled. "Good work," nodded Turner.

She looked out at one of the other star cruisers, Kayuga’s ship. She hadn’t had a chance to speak to him yet, but she desperately longed to ask if Sal was alright. Losing Frank was bad enough, but not having her fiancé Sal around had driven her to a kind despair she’d never known before. If she could just see him again, or hear his voice... _I just want him to be okay._

"Er, Captain." Flarn cleared his throat. "I’m monitoring the fleet, and... well, what are the other ships doing?"

Turner stared out the blastshield. The mercenary ships seemed to be turning away from Zurg’s fleet, as if they no longer cared about them. Even stranger, Zurg’s ships were ignoring them in turn. "Okay, this does not look good..."

She wished she had Frank with her. He always had good instincts; he would’ve known what to do.

The attack came without warning. All the mercenary ships opened fire, blasting at any star cruisers in range. The team was rocked about as several ships converged on 71 and began an assault. Several of Zurg’s remaining vessels joined in.

"What the frag?!" Janet steadied herself against her station. "Has this been some trick of Zurg’s all along?"

Turner considered it, but it didn’t make sense. Why would Zurg allow so many of his ships to be destroyed before showing his hand? "I have a feeling it’s something worse," she admitted.

Flarn muttered a curse. Janet didn’t bother to cover hers.

Turner stared outside at all the ships swarming around them. Suddenly the numbers weren’t on their side anymore. _It’s not fair! We were winning!_

"What are we going to fraggin’ do?" demanded Janet.

"Continue to fight," said Turner. "What else can we do?"

"There’s no way we can win!"

_You think I don’t know that?_ "Then we die, but we die like Frank did—for the people of the Galactic Alliance! We go down swinging all the way."

* * *

Zurg had pulled himself onto his knees again and was nursing his injured face. He’d always possessed an extreme resilience, but now even he was finding himself taxed to the limit. The pain had dulled a little as shock set in, but nothing could numb his mind to the terrible knowledge of what Lightyear had done to him. His right eye was bruised and swollen, and he could only just hold it open. The left eye was simply gone. Buzz had gouged it out with the knife, leaving behind a horrid sticky mess. _My eyes were no random choice. He did this to stop me from using them against him._ One more fragment of power that was lost to him. Zurg tensed with hatred. If there was one person he would’ve liked to literally melt with a glare, it was the evil Lightyear, and now that option had been painfully stolen from him.

To make matters worse, Buzz was sitting in _his_ throne, legs crossed and face lit up with glee. He looked like a child on Holiday morning. "Look at that, Zurg," he gloated. "I command your whole fleet now. They answer to me."

Raising his head to scowl at him, Zurg felt a cold barrel pressed against the back of his neck. "Easy, Z," warned Torque. "No one wants you dead before party time, Jack!"

Zurg rued the day he’d raised up that common thug into something special, one of Star Command’s most wanted. He should’ve forced one of his minions, maybe Warp, to accept the cloning device. At least he was loyal.

_Oh, forgetting his betrayal so soon, are we?_ Zurg chided himself. No one was loyal. Everyone had betrayed him in the end, even his grovelling minions. The only people who’d ever truly deserved his trust were both long dead.

Bouncing out the throne—the man had no grace, no royal dignity—Buzz approached Zurg. He yanked him up by the fabric of his cape where it crossed over his chest. The silk threatened to rip beneath his firm grip. "How does it feel, Zurg?" he whispered. "To lose?"

"You should know," Zurg hissed back. "You lost your whole universe."

Buzz shoved him against the back of the throne and held him there. "And whose fault was that?" he spat. The feral thing inside of him seemed to have been unleashed. "You brought me here, Zurg! You brought this upon yourself!"

For a moment, Zurg understood his foe’s rage. Being trapped far from home, losing everything... He understood why Lightyear blamed him. He blamed the Xlgta for his own fate, after all. "Believe me," he said, trying to ignore the pain that still throbbed in his skull, "I never wanted any of _this_ —if I’d known what would happen, I would’ve sealed off your universe immediately and let you keep your little empire forever! You were one of my rare... mistakes." _A mistake I made twice. Why didn’t I just kill you when I found you in that slave camp?_

Lightyear smiled. It made the gap in his teeth stand out. Zurg hoped the man didn’t remember the blow that had knocked that tooth out, but he knew he did. And he knew he was already paying dearly for it. "I wish I could just kill you now, Zurg," said Buzz, "but I really need to stop giving in to these desires for instant gratification. I have a much more satisfying death for you in mind, one that’ll be worth the wait."

_And now you’re making the same mistake I made—Villain Mistake Number One,_ thought Zurg with contempt. _Never kill you enemies later. There’ll never_ be _a later._ He didn’t voice these thoughts, though. There were some things Buzz would just have to learn for himself.

"O, um... O Heinous Bearded One," announced one the Grubs.

Lightyear let go of Zurg. "What?"

"A shuttle has arrived with this cargo you requested."

"Excellent. Tell them to come on up."

Zurg studied Buzz. He seemed beside himself with excitement. "You’re going to love this, Zurg," he whispered.

"I doubt it."

"Be more grateful, I arranged a special surprise just for you."

Zurg was about to roll his eyes, then stopped himself when the truth of the one’s absence hit him again. "I’m flattered, but my birthday’s not for another month," he hissed.

"It’s too bad you won’t live to see it." Buzz grinned.

They waited. After several minutes, the doors opened, and more of Lightyear’s thugs marched in, dragging someone with them. Zurg heard the rattle of chains. He peered closer, trying to see who the tall figure in the centre of the group was. His eyes widened.

"Release me!" a deep voice demanded. Yellowed teeth were bared in a scowl. "Release me, infidels! I am the all-powerful one! I am your one true ruler! I am Natron the First!"

Buzz crossed his arms and beamed. "How’s that for a present, huh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to J.D. Phoenix for guessing it would be Natron!


	62. Chapter 61

Zurg stared at the withered, bandaged face before him. He’d seen ancient depictions of Natron, and Warp had described him, but he’d never dreamed of seeing him face to face. Not after that idiot Darkmatter had lost his one chance to bring him in. He stepped closer, momentarily entranced.

"Uh-uh!" Buzz warned, waving a finger. "Careful, he’s a little hungry."

"Kneel before Natron the Merciless!" the mummy insisted. "Release me!" He rattled his chains. There were several crisscrossing his body, shackling him from head to toe. His hands were manacled together.

Zurg stopped himself before he got too close. Part of him wanted to reach out and touch the legendary creature, as if to prove he was really there, but he resisted the urge. "How?" he breathed, the pain that was still throbbing through his face suddenly forgotten.

"We heard about your plan to steal some gizmo from Planet X," said Lightyear. "Thought we’d stop by and do a little shopping ourselves. Guess what we found."

Zurg frowned thoughtfully. "You were the ones who planted the bomb that buried the city..."

"I didn’t plant it—that was our mutual friend, Buzz Lightyear the space boy scout—but I did set it off. We had to make sure our tracks were covered."

Natron began to struggle against his captors, trying to throw them off. The thugs had to hold the chains tightly to keep him from breaking away. One of them held up a shiny black stick, and Buzz took it with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"You will all be punished a thousands times over!" said Natron. "Your souls will suffer eternal—"

"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before." Buzz jammed the stick against the mummy and Natron writhed as electricity coursed through his body. "What makes you think I even have a soul, my decomposing friend?"

It was a strange sight to witness, the torture of his childhood hero. Zurg wasn’t sure how he felt. Perhaps he would’ve been more upset if he wasn’t so concerned for his own well-being, which was also under considerable threat. "Why did you bring him here?" he asked, cradling his face in his hand as awareness of the pain returned.

"Thought he might be useful." Buzz shrugged. Then a grin spread across his face again. "Actually, that’s a lie—I don’t care if he’s useful or not. I brought him for one reason, Zurg, and one reason alone." He patted the emperor’s shoulder. "To kill you."

Zurg recoiled from his touch, his skin burning as if Buzz’s hand had been sizzling hot. He’d always hated it when people touched him. It felt like a challenge to his authority—only he had the right to dictate when and how people approached him. His minions had long since learned that invading his personal space would get them killed, but apparently Lightyear hadn’t gotten the memo.

"I was expecting something slightly more imaginative," he told Buzz, pretending to sound bored.

"Oh, I’ve got lots of things planned, don’t you worry. Natron’s just the main event." Circling behind Zurg, Buzz brought their heads close together and whispered, "It’ll be nice and slow. He won’t drain your lifeforce all at once, oh no, nothing that simple. He’ll take just a few years off, enough for you to feel it. Then you and I can spend some quality time together, finding out just how much pain you can take before you break. Then it’s back to Natron for the next meal. Bit by bit he’ll chip away at your life till you’ve got nothing left."

Zurg edged away. Lightyear caught him by the wrist and pulled him forward. "Don’t even think about escaping!" he said. "You won’t make it very far. I told you—I’m in control now." He snapped his fingers at one of the Torque clones, who approached Natron carefully. The clone began unlocking the shackles on Natron’s hands.

Realising Lightyear meant to put him through the first torture right then, Zurg tried to pull free from his grip. He knew he could probably do it if he wrenched hard enough, but he also knew Lightyear would most likely simply shoot him if he did. _He’s right,_ Zurg thought grimly. _There’s no escape._

"Feeding time, boy," Buzz told Natron, shoving Zurg along and snickering when the emperor almost tripped.

Natron’s burning yellow eyes regarded them both with hatred. "Infidels!" he repeated.

"Ah, but ol’ Zurg here is no infidel," chuckled Buzz. "I hear he’s quite a fan—isn’t that right, Zurg?"

Memories of all the stories his mother had told him came flooding back to Zurg. All his life he’d admired Natron; the man had been an inspiration to him since he was a little child. There was something thoroughly captivating about the idea of one person uniting dozens of galaxies under his rule. It seemed impossible for a single being to have that much power. Zurg had always longed to do even better, to rule even more of the universe, and he’d often seen himself as a new Natron—an improved version. One who would climb to the top and stay there instead of allowing himself to be deposed by some two-bit hero. It seemed a foolish dream now.

"I’ve always... respected you," he told the mummy. "I wanted to be just like you." Perhaps that would earn him enough brownie points to bypass the whole having-his-lifeforce-drained thing.

Natron appeared unmoved. "You?" he scoffed. "Billions followed me, mortal. I was worshipped as Natron the All-Powerful! The universe was mine! You dare to think you can rival me?" His laughter was a dry, dusty sound. "You are nothing compared to me. You are a weak, stumbling child."

_I suppose it’s true what they say—never meet your heroes._ Zurg wished Natron was wrong, but he couldn’t deny the facts. He’d never achieved the power the ancient ruler had. He was feared, but he’d never been worshipped. In the end, he wasn’t going to amount to much of anything, was he?

"Go ahead," Buzz urged Natron. "Have a little taste."

The mummy’s expression changed from dignified contempt to a look of exhaustion and hunger. Zurg realised just how frail he was. _He shouldn’t even be alive. He’s living on borrowed time unless he drains someone._ Under other circumstances, Zurg might even have sympathised, but not when he was the meal in question.

Natron reached out with a pair of skeletal talons. There was no room for Zurg to back away. Buzz stood right behind him, a gun pressed against his head. He was forced to stand still and allow the mummy to place its palms over his head. _I hope Darkmatter was exaggerating as usual when he told me how much it hurt._

* * *

The tide had turned, and turned fast. Suddenly the Rangers were the ones fighting for their lives. The sense of elation and relief Turner had felt as they’d taken out Zurg’s forces one by one was gone, replaced by a deep dread. Everything had fallen apart—it was chaos. She couldn’t even see what had happened to Ty’s shuttle, though she had faith in the other Ranger’s ability to stay alive. She was trying to restore some sense of order to the fleet, hoping she could come up with a brilliant tactic at the last minute that would save them all, but so far she hadn’t had much luck. Fate seemed determined to ruin everything for them. The cruelest part of all was building up hope and then having it snatched away. Turner wasn’t sure how much more she could take.

Another blast hit the ship, shaking them up and down. _As if my headache wasn’t bad enough already,_ she thought, feeling her brain being jarred inside her skull. She wondered if the pain and tiredness would ever leave her body.

"The bugger’s underneath us!" said Janet. "I need a clear shot at him!"

Nodding, Turner swooped down, circling past the attacking vessel. Janet let loose with the laser cannon, scorching a long, black mark across the enemy’s hull. It began to splinter and warp, finally cracking open and rending the whole ship in two.

"Way to go!" whooped Flarn, high-fiving Janet.

"Yeah, another one down, but how many to go?" Turner sighed. They weren’t even trying to win now—they were just trying to stay alive. _We gambled, and we lost. Even if we surrender, Zurg’s going to kill us._

"More war cruisers closing in!" Flarn reported.

"Told you." She tried to pull the ship away and evade them, but there were so many. Zurg’s ships seemed eager to have their revenge after the pounding Star Command had given them.

A stray glance out the viewport made Turner forget their own problems for a moment. Her heart seemed to leap into her throat and get stuck there. "Sal..."

Kayuga’s cruiser was surrounded by even more ships than their own, and its attempts to break away were getting it nowhere. She could see the cruiser was on its last legs. Shoddy patch jobs were threatening to buckle beneath the onslaught.

_Cosmos,_ she thought, _he’s going to die._ She felt dizzy. It couldn’t be real, it couldn’t be—she couldn’t lose someone else.

"Turner!" It was Janet. Her voice sounded faint and distant. "Turner!"

"Huh?"

"No disrespect, but keep your head in the game, Cap!"

Shaking herself out of it, Turner nodded. There was nothing she could do for Sal. That realisation made her feel empty inside.

Sounds like the faraway cracks of an approaching storm rattled the ship as the war cruisers surrounding them and rained their weapons down. Turner tried to focus, but a feeling of helplessness began to take hold of her. What was the point? They were dead anyway.

"We have to do something!" screamed Janet. "If they keep this up much longer we’ll be toast!"

"What _can_ we do?"

"Oh, come on, Captain! _Lightyear_ wouldn’t give up!"

She lifted her hands from the throttle and threw them in the air. "Well he’s not here, is he? He’s off doing cosmos knows what while we’re stuck in this mess!" Janet was right—they had to fight to the last breath. They owed it to Frank. But she was just so _tired._ Another glance out the window brought fresh despair as she saw black marks being burned into the hull of Sal’s ship. _Any second now it’ll be over..._

"Um, ma’am," Flarn spoke up, "I’m, er, I’m getting some readings..."

* * *

White light flashed across the blastshield for an instant as they cut the hyperdrive engines. The scene that greeted them was a grim, chaotic one. Ships were circling and diving and tearing into each other all around, and far too many star cruisers seemed to be surrounded, getting shot up by mixed gangs of mercenaries and Zurg’s vessels. It looked like they’d arrived just in the nick of time.

"Robots ready to save day?"

"Never readier!"

"Just tell me where to fly!"

"Forward, full speed!"

XR raised his fist in the air as the Raenok fleet swooped down into the fray, guns blazing. "Woohooooo!" he yelled, losing himself in the moment.

"For Raenok Empire!" Varg joined him.

AP-99, hooked up to the helm of the Raenok warship, brought them through the violent storm of ships and they came upon a pack that was hounding one of the cruisers. The warship’s guns swivelled to lock onto the nearest attackers and opened fire with a force that seemed to rattle deep through the hull. Long, red beams streamed out, ripping deep gouges in the other ships. Shrapnel was flung up into the void, drifting outwards like smoke, and one of the vessels exploded. The light was blinding for several seconds.

The enemy ships began turning their attention away from the Space Rangers, as it was clear these new arrivals posed a far greater threat. "Oh, yeah!" said XR, only just resisting the urge to do a victory dance as another ship was blasted down. "Check out who’s bad now, baby!"

"Some of us are trying to concentrate," AP-99 shushed him.

Having scattered the ships ganging up on that cruiser—71, XR read on its side—they turned and rocketed on to the next target. All around, Raenok ships of all sizes were engaging the enemy. Small, claw-shaped fighters swarmed over a war cruiser, while massive warships cleared a path through a field of mercenary ships.

XR still wasn’t sure exactly what was going on—he’d heard the mercenaries had abandoned Zurg as soon as the last battle had been won—but apparently not. _Guess it doesn’t matter_ he chuckled. _They’re no match for us!_

Who would’ve thought the day would ever come when he’d ride into battle with a fleet of Raenoks—alongside Varg himself! _I bet Pop would be proud of me._

* * *

The claws were wrapped firmly around his head, doing nothing to ease the pain in his empty eye socket. Zurg winced, wishing he could pull away, but several Torques were grasping him by the shoulders and Lightyear still stood behind him with the gun.

Natron stared down at Zurg. "Your life will be the first sacrifice in the sacred rise of Natron the—"

"Oh, shut up and get on with it," urged Buzz. "You’re not the one rising, dead guy, this is my time to shine. You’re just the attack dog."

Natron’s shrivelled mouth curled into a scowl.

"D-d-don’t you need, you know, that, uh, that thing, that device...?" Zurg asked, wriggling within Natron’s grip and grasping desperately for ideas. There had to be _some_ way to escape. "Darkmatter said you drained his life with some techy gizmo! You don’t have that here, do you?"

"That was the _improved_ method, weakling." Natron’s eyes gleamed. "It allowed a much smoother transfer of life energy. But the old way still works..."

"Oh. I was afraid of that." Gulping, Zurg braced himself.

It was then that the Raenok fleet suddenly entered the scene. Shouts of confusion rose from the Grubs as the new wave of ships emerged, and Lightyear let out a low growl when he saw what was happening. " _Shit!_ " He smacked a hand against the nearest Grub, who hadn’t actually done anything wrong. "Tell the fleet to forget the Rangers—focus on the Raenoks! Blast ‘em out of the sky!"

Zurg allowed himself a moment’s satisfaction. _So things aren’t going quite so well for you either, eh?_ He was beginning to realise just how fast the tide could turn. Only an hour before, he had thought himself the ruler of the galaxy, and now he was on his knees facing a slow, agonising death. The Rangers had been on the verge of victory too, until Lightyear had snatched it from them. _And now you’ll fall just like all the rest._ At least Zurg would have the comfort of knowing that before he died.

Buzz seemed to read his mind. "What are you smirking at, you purple idiot?" he snapped, shoving the gun against Zurg’s head again. "It doesn’t matter what happens out there—you’re still gonna die! You’ve lost!"

"I realised _that_ ages ago!" retorted Zurg. "Unlike you, however, I got to enjoy my victory for more than _five minutes_ , so let that boil in your kettle!"

Lightyear stared at him for a long, icy moment. "Kill him," he told Natron.

A feeling like hot pins being driven into his skull came over Zurg. He grunted but avoided crying out. He wasn’t going to give Lightyear even that much satisfaction, not this time. Forcing his eyes open, he faced the space mummy towering above him and stared back defiantly. _I’m still stronger than you. I always was._ He may never have achieved all the things Natron had, but after seeing how fleeting and evanescent power could be, he wondered if it mattered. After all, even Natron had fallen in the end. _At least I’m willing to face the inevitable when it finally comes. I’ve fought for every second I’ve lived, but I’m not going to hide from the end like you have._ He looked Natron up and down. The once-feared ruler was now only a shadow of himself, a ghastly figure wrapped in bandages, someone who stole his survival from others and called his pathetic existence living. Zurg wondered if he too would’ve become such a creature if he’d remained in power long enough. _Not that it matters now, I suppose._

New pain gripped him, forcing its way up through his chest and into his head. Was this what it felt like to have your lifeforce drained? Maybe he should’ve shown Warp a little more sympathy. He clenched his fists, fighting back a scream. His whole body was shaking.

There was a strange sound. Zurg had shut his eye as he fought back the agony, but he could’ve sworn a light flashed next to him for a second. Then he forgot it as the pain increased.

"Let him go. Now!"

Zurg’s single eye flew open. No pain could blot out the familiarity of that voice.

"What in the galaxy—?" gasped Lightyear.

Standing in front of them, holding a set of large and rather nasty-looking weapons, was the Xlgta—and Commander Nebula. Zurg stared at them in disbelief. Nebula was supposed to be dead and the Xlgta must surely have gone back to her own galaxy! How could they be there? How could they have boarded the Dreadnought? _Teleport,_ he realised. A decidedly unpleasant and unhealthy way to travel, but it got the job done quickly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Buzz demanded, raising his blaster. He yelped a moment later as the Xlgta shot it out of his hand.

"I told you to let him go." She turned to Natron and the Torques. "Release him at once, or you will all find yourselves in need of new heads!"

Zurg felt the pain receding. Apparently Natron had chosen to heed the woman’s warning.

The Torques were still looking at each other uncertainly. "Better do as she says," said Zurg. "They didn’t call her the Black Destroyer for nothing."

"No!" shouted Buzz, still rubbing his hand. "You can’t do this! You _can’t_!"

"Just watch us, fuzz-face!" Nebula kept his gun trained on him. "You’re going down!"

Reluctantly, the Torque Armada let go of Zurg and shuffled away, still staring around in confusion. "So that’s what she looked like under the helmet?" one of them whispered.

"I knew she had to be total uglysville," shrugged another. "Bummer, baby."

Zurg suddenly realised he couldn’t see the real Torque amongst the crowd, but decided it didn’t matter. The four-armed thug was the last person he cared about just then.

"Come here," called the Xlgta, gesturing to Zurg. "Come to us."

He rose from his knees with difficulty, taking a few shaky steps forward. For a moment he lingered where he was, considering his choices. What would happen if he went with the Xlgta? Would she take him back to their world? Did she expect him to just forget everything she’d done? And how was that old coot Nebula mixed up in it? Surely he wouldn’t be willing to let Zurg go free?

"Zurg, come," urged the Xlgta.

"Come on, you bucket-head! We ain’t got all day!"

_What alternative do I have?_ If he stayed, Lightyear would kill him. When he thought about it that way, the Xlgta didn’t seem quite so bad. "I’m coming, I’m coming!" He crossed the catwalk to them. "You’d think an evil emperor would get a little pity after he lost an eye and almost had his lifeforce sucked out of him, but nooo, it’s, ‘Zurg do this!’ and, ‘Zurg, do that!’"

The Xlgta narrowed her eyes at him. "You have always been the most incurable whiner. You still throw tantrums like you’re a five year old."

"And you’re still a nagging old crone, only you’ve gotten even older."

"Yeah, charming reunion, folks, but we gotta get out while we can," insisted Nebula. He continued to keep half his attention on Lightyear and the Torque clones.

The Xlgta nodded. "I simply need to send the transport command to my ship. Zurg, you must take my hand if you wish to avoid being let behind."

_Oh, marvellous._ Zurg was about to reach for her hand when he heard the rattle of metal. There was a loud snap that echoed throughout the bridge.

"Heed me, O mortals!" Natron’s voice boomed. "Natron is risen! Natron the All-Powerful returns!"

Zurg stared in horror as the mummy strained against the remaining chains and they all snapped at once, falling uselessly to the floor.

"What?!" Even Lightyear looked startled. "No, that’s not—"

"All things are possible with Natron!" The mummy leaped out the way as the Xlgta and the Torques began firing on him. "I shall reclaim what is rightfully mine, and sweep away all you insolent pretenders! The universe shall once more kneel to Natron the Invincible!"

_Sheesh, enough with the titles already—how is anyone supposed to remember them all? Didn’t you ever hire a good marketing consultant?_ Zurg sighed. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he hissed to the Xlgta. "Kill him! Or get us out of here! Either works—for once I’m not in the mood to be picky!"

She aimed the gun at Natron again, but he was moving faster than should’ve been possible for someone in his condition. None of the shots came anywhere close to the mark as he danced about the room.

_Of course,_ Zurg realised. _My lifeforce—he didn’t take much, but it was enough! That’s where he’s getting all this strength!_

The mummy threw himself through the air, coming down with a thud directly in front of them. He slammed an arm into Nebula before the old Space Ranger could react, knocking him down. The Xlgta tried to raise her gun but he lunged at her, raking a set of yellow, decaying claws across her face.

She cried out and fell to the ground, with Natron on top of her. Zurg stared helplessly as the mummy pinned the old woman down and gripped her skull. Zurg turned to Nebula, but the man was still groaning on the floor. His gun had rolled out of sight.

"Run!" the Xlgta yelled. She screeched in pain as Natron began to take her life. The woman’s withered, wrinkled face sunk in even further. Zurg wondered how many years she even had left for the mummy to steal.

He couldn’t bring himself to move, watching the ghoulish spectacle with horror. The Xlgta’s form was becoming increasingly skeletal.

"Run!" she coughed. "Get... get away! The c-coordinates you need... are... Ahhhh!" She writhed beneath the mummy, and her dry skin began to flake off. "Two... s-seven... five... t-two... eight... s-s-six... six... one!"

Zurg swept his gaze over the whole scene one last time, then turned away and ran, practically tripping over his own robes. "Thank you!" he called back over his shoulder. He hoped she’d clung to life long enough to hear it.

* * *

With the last digit gasped, Xlgta was finally able to surrender. The fighting was over; she didn’t need to hold back the pain anymore. She was glad to let it take her. She’d fought so long...

_I did my best,_ she thought. That was what she would say to the empress when she saw her. Her beloved Xurg, the woman she would’ve died for a thousand times over. At last they were going to be reunited. _I do not know if it was enough, but I did my best for you and your family, just I promised._

* * *

His quick steps echoed loudly through the deserted halls. Zurg ran and ran, forgetting his injuries, forgetting his exhaustion, forgetting everything in his rush to get to the landing bay. His shuttle would be there, ready to take off. He supposed the bomb would be aboard too, but he didn’t need it anymore. The Xlgta had given him a set of coordinates—they had to be the coordinates to the trans-spacial warp she’d come through. He could go back. Not the way he’d wanted to, in a blaze of avenging fury, but those desires had passed anyway. He just wanted to be somewhere safe, somewhere quiet. He wanted to get _away_.

He wondered if the fleet would allow him to leave. His ships were no longer under his command—they would be loyal to their new master now, Lightyear. But they would have their hands full with the Raenoks.

Deciding not to waste time worrying about it, he continued down the dim halls. He knew he’d lost everything, and he knew the sting of that would come eventually. For now, at least, the pressure of current events was keeping him from having to feel anything. Only one thought spun through his mind, driving his every action—survival. He had a chance again. Facing death with dignity was all well and good, but what was the point when you might still win yourself a little more time?

He rounded another corner, his pace never slowing. It wasn’t far to the landing bay now.

"Hold it right there, Zurg!"

Zurg stumbled a little as he halted. Gasping for breath, he looked around. Dread stabbed at his heart. _Nonononooo not now!_

Buzz Lightyear—the one and only—emerged from the shadows, his wrist laser raised. Booster was right behind him. "Thought you could get away, did you?" The Ranger’s eyebrows were drawn low. He wasn’t smiling like he usually was when he got to deliver overly earnest heroic one-liners. Zurg was uncomfortably reminded of the other Lightyear. Buzz advanced, still keeping him covered with his laser, and looked him dead in the eye. "Evil Emperor Zurg, by the authority of Star Command, I am hereby placing you under arrest."


	63. Chapter 62

Mira breathed deeply. She forced the air in and out of her lungs, trying to still her racing heart. A coded message had come in XR. "Got the Raenoks" was all it said, but it was enough. She sank into her chair, letting her eyes slip shut. _You did it, XR, you did it!_

Taking another breath, she made herself sit up straight. It wasn’t over yet—the battle had to be won, and even if they succeeded, there would be a _lot_ of cleanup work afterwards.

_Why not get started now?_ She shoved the chair back and sprang to her feet. Her friends were out fighting, maybe dying, and she was just sitting in some stuffy old office! She knew she couldn’t join them, no matter how much her heart ached to, but she could still do her job as a Space Ranger and protect the citizens of the universe.

Marching out her office and letting the door slam shut behind her, she made her way through the Senate till she reached the main chambers. The Senate was still in session. Earlier that day she’d asked to be excused from the meeting, not feeling up to all the bickering and long-winded speeches, but now she shoved her way in. Everyone stared at her as she strode down the centre aisle.

"Madam Governor?" Taln was standing at the podium, having agreed to fill in for her that day.

"That’s Ranger Nova to you. To all of you." She hopped up the steps, edging him out the way and taking his place. Leaning close to the microphone, she cleared her throat. "Members of the Senate!"

Their hushed whispers ceased. The two Grubs who sat in on all the Senate meetings were staring at her now. Everyone was waiting for her to speak, as if sensing something big was about to happen.

She looked across the colourful sea of faces. Some of them she knew were good, reliable people like Aarrfvox. Some had issues but could be counted on in the end, like Hammerhold. And then there were those who would run and hide under their desks at the first sign of danger. _Time to see who’s who._ "Members of the Senate," she repeated, "sorry to interrupt your meeting, but I’ve got something important to say."

"This isn’t on the agenda," one of the Grubs objected, checking its clipboard.

"Nope, sorry, new agenda." Mira grinned. "And first on the list is you—grab ‘em!"

At first the senators all stared in shock while the Grubs stood on the platform, looking around fearfully, then Aarrfvox jumped up and yanked hold of each minion by the arm. "I have them, Gov— er, Ranger."

The pair of Grubs kicked and struggled but the Shragarakian kept his grip and tossed them into a supply closet, locking it from outside.

"Good work, Senator." Beaming, Mira turned back to the Senate. There were distinct ripples of fear sweeping through the seated politicians. "You’re, um, you’re probably wondering what’s going on, right? You think—you think the Tangean’s flipped, huh? Don’t worry, I know exactly what I’m doing, kinda." She laughed when she saw their worried faces. "Relax, okay! I’ve got this under control. I’m a Space Ranger." _And a princess, and a leader, and I’m pretty darn good at all of those things if I say so myself._ "As we speak, our forces are fighting side by side with the Raenok warrior legion to defeat Zurg. That’s right! You heard me!" She waited for the gasps to die down. "We’re gonna beat this guy and we’re gonna take back the Galactic Alliance! But it’ll be messy, and the best thing we can do is start the cleanup right here."

Hammerhold stood up. "How?"

"We retake Capital Planet!"

Shouts rose up from the senators. Mira grabbed the gavel and banged it, which she found surprisingly satisfying. The crowd quietened. "Look, I know what you’re thinking! You think it’s impossible, that we’ll lose and all get killed!" She straightened. "Well, let me tell you something! Those Space Rangers I sent out there were facing pretty impossible odds too and they went anyway! XR—yeah, that little robot you all thought was annoying—he risked his life to bring the Raenoks in even though it should’ve been impossible! All _we’re_ facing are a few Hornets, and you... you lazy cowards can’t even handle that? _Please_ , if I had my team here we could do this in our sleep!"

There was an awkward silence. Mira scanned the senators, looking for at least one person who wasn’t afraid to join her. A smile broke over her face as Hammerhold crossed the floor to the podium and stood beside Aarrfvox. "You’ve got my vote!" he said.

"Anyone else?" she asked.

Phelmex sniffed loudly. "But what," he said, "do we actually do?"

"Ah, now that’s the fun part," she told him. "First we neutralise all the Hornets—I’m going to need you guys to bring in the local police force, without arousing any suspicion—and then we lock up all the Grubs and Brain Pods, and finally we set the planetary defense grid back to registering Zurg ships as hostile and take out the remaining vessels in orbit! Who’s with me?"

* * *

Buzz gazed across the length of his outstretched arm at the man standing in front of him. The criminal he’d been battling so long. The monster who’d brought down the Galactic Alliance and killed so many people. Zurg was staring back with a single smoldering red eye—the other had been reduced to a bloody ruin—and a look etched over his face that Buzz couldn’t quite put his finger on. Was he... afraid? _I hope so._

"Buzz, listen—" the emperor began.

Scowling, Buzz shoved his laser arm right up to Zurg’s face. "No, _you listen_. And if you make the slightest move, I won’t hesitate to fire." He took a deep breath. "This is it, Zurg—end of the line. Either you come quietly or we do things the hard way. Which is it going to be?" He knew which option he wanted the fiend to choose.

"Would you please let me speak?" Zurg sighed. "You don’t understand what’s going on, Lightyear! I’m leaving—running away, if you want to gloat over it! You can keep your pathetic little galaxy! Just let me go!"

"Never." Buzz squinted at him. Was it a trick, or was Zurg actually telling the truth for once? He knew the other Buzz had taken over the Dreadnought—he’d heard him announce it over the speakers, and he and Booster had been trying to figure out what to do about it before Zurg had shown up. But would Zurg really leave and give up everything? _It doesn’t matter. He still has to pay for what he’s done._ "You’re coming with us, Zurg. When this is over, you have to face trial for the crimes you’ve committed. Off the top of my head, we’ve got genocide, torture, keeping sentient beings as slaves..."

"Oh, can it!" Zurg snapped. "Every second you waste here could mean the difference between victory and defeat for you! The other you is in control of my forces and Natron’s on the loose! Who knows what could happen!"

Booster gasped. "Natron?!"

"He’s lying," said Buzz. "He’ll say anything to get us to let him go!"

"It’s true, you moralising idiot! The alternate Lightyear brought him here! I barely escaped with my life!"

"And you won’t escape again." Doubt nagged at Buzz—he remembered the explosion on Planet X. The bomb shouldn’t have gone off like that. He knew something had happened there, but he could never figure out what.

Zurg threw his hands in the air in an exasperated gesture, almost prompting Buzz to squeeze the trigger. "Commander Nebula’s there! Surely _that’s_ a good enough reason for you! If you don’t help him, he could be killed!"

Buzz and Booster exchanged glances. _There’s no way Zurg should even know the commander’s alive... unless he’s telling the truth._ The real question was whether or not it made a difference. Thinking back to their last encounter, Buzz wondered if saving Nebula was worth letting Zurg go.

"Buzz, we’ve gotta do something!" urged Booster.

"I’m thinking."

"But the commander—"

"What about him?" Buzz snapped.

"We have to save him!" The rookie was staring at him with wide, desperate eyes. "You... you wouldn’t let him get killed, would you, Buzz?"

Buzz shrugged. "Not if I could help it, but... Look, the commander’s good at taking care of himself, Booster..."

He realised Zurg was staring at him. "So you care about me more than your own commander?" The emperor laughed, but he sounded tired. "I should be touched."

"I care about bringing you to justice, Zurg! I’m not going to let you get away with your fiendish crimes any longer!"

"Then why don’t you shoot me now? That way you’ll be rid of me and you’ll still have time to save Nebula—a win-win situation, I’d say!"

Buzz swallowed. "Don’t tempt me."

"Buzz," Booster persisted. "We have to go! Come on! Just leave Zurg—where can he go? We’ve got more important stuff to do!"

"No!" Couldn’t Booster see? He had to do this. He’d failed so many people when he allowed Zurg to take over the Galactic Alliance. He had to make things right. "Zurg is not getting away this time!"

* * *

"I’ll do it at once, Ranger."

"Thanks."

"What was that about?" Hammerhold asked Mira as Taln hurried away.

Mira shrugged. "Sent him on an errand. Okay, guys!" She clapped her hands. "Listen up, it’s almost showtime! Aarrfvox, are the officers in position outside?"

The Shragarakian nodded. "We’ve slipped them into the Plaza, one by one—all in plain clothes. Zurg’s people won’t suspect a thing."

"Good." She turned to the two tied-up Grubs quivering at her feet. "You’re up now, fellas. Think you can handle it?"

"Y-yes, ma’am," they gulped.

Sighing, she squatted down beside them. "Look, no one’s gonna hurt you, okay? As long as you do what we want, you’ll be fine." She patted their heads and handed them a comm unit. "Now give the order."

One of the Grubs picked up the portable communicator. It coughed and cleared its throat. "This, er, this is Grub 127655, calling from the Senate. All personnel are to report to the Imperial Plaza immediately. Repeat, all personnel are to report to the Plaza immediately, including Hornets. This is a direct order from Emperor Zurg." It cut the transmission and whimpered a little.

"See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?"

"We’ll be executed for treason!"

Mira shook her head. "Not if the Alliance wins. So you better be routing for us, guys." She stood up. "Okay, let’s get down to the front entrance. Everyone ready?"

Hammerhold held up a pistol they’d taken from the Grubs. "Never used one of these before," he admitted, "but I’ll give it my best shot."

Nodding, Mira checked the readout on her suit. _Wrist laser fully charged, jetpack fuelled up—looks like I’m all set!_ Slipping back into her suit had been like getting into a warm bubble bath on a frosty winter’s day. It made her feel whole again. "Let’s go!"

They marched to the front door. A pair of Hornets were on guard inside as well as outside. Stopping the team of senators at the far end of the hall, Mira left them and approached the two robots. "Hey, boys," she greeted. "How’s it going? How’s the job? Hours aren’t too long, are they, eh? How’s the family? Doing anything over the weekend?"

The Hornets had swivelled their triangular heads to look at her, and if they’d been capable of facial expressions Mira was sure they would’ve looked confused. She suddenly thrust out both her arms, phasing them into the chests of the yellow robots. With a sharp tug she pulled loose a handful of internal components from each one, and the Hornets sparked for a moment before dropping dead to the floor.

She turned back to Aarfvox and Hammerhold. "Neat trick, huh? Always pays to have a Tangean around."

"It wouldn’t be quite so... neat... if they were organics," said Hammerhold, eyeing the scattered robot parts on the carpet.

"Uh, um, yeah, true." She rubbed her neck. "Okay, those Hornets have been taken care of, but we’ve still got two more on the other side of that door and a whole army are gonna show up in the Plaza any minute. You guys think you can handle it?"

The senators both nodded. "We want our Alliance back," said Aarrfvox.

"That’s why we’re here!" beamed Mira. "Okay, places!"

They set themselves against the door, the two senators holding up their pistols while Mira kept her wrist laser ready. She put her head on the wood and listened. Sure enough, the distant sound of metallic footsteps could be heard outside. The Hornets were arriving.

"Remember, we have to wait for them all to show up," she whispered.

Several minutes passed. The tension increased and Mira wiped the perspiration forming on her forehead. The senators were looking less and less sure of themselves. _Come on, come on,_ she urged.

Another minute passed and finally there were no more footsteps. She heard an awkward cough outside that sounded like an impatient Brain Pod.

"Okay, I think this is it," she said. "Ready... and go!"

They barrelled through the oak doors, slamming the thick wood against the Hornets on the other side. Mira blasted one and she was pleased to see Hammerhold take out the other. A crowd of Hornets, Grubs, and Brain Pods had assembled outside, now looking horrified and confused at the sight before them.

Suddenly, all the civilians wandering through the Plaza whipped out weapons and charged across the city square, surrounding the party of Zurg acolytes. The Hornets instantly began transforming their hands into guns, but already they were being shot to pieces by the law enforcement officers.

Mira joined the fight, somersaulting under a green blast and taking aim at one of the robots. She squeezed the trigger on her suit and the Hornet erupted in a shower of yellow debris.

The Grubs and Brain Pods were panicking now, screaming and rushing back and forth across the Plaza, all of them looking for a place to hide. Mira hoped none of them would get hit in the crossfire.

The fight carried on for a good few minutes, until at last the Plaza was littered with the smoking remains of several dozen Hornets. The local officers stood amongst the wreckage, congratulating each other. Mira made a mental note to thank them all later for their help.

"Okay, everyone, it’s not over yet!" she announced, jumping up the steps of the Senate so she could address the crowd. "Grubs! Brain Pods! I’m giving you the opportunity now to surrender. Those who hand themselves in will be guaranteed fair treatment by the Galactic Alliance!"

She waited. A couple of Grubs stepped forward hesitantly, then saw the disapproving glares coming from their peers and stepped back. Mira sighed. It wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d hoped, was it?

"Fellow Grubs!" a squeaky voice shouted behind her.

Mira turned around, grinning when she saw the little Grub that had hobbled up beside her, led by Taln. Zurg’s assistant One-Two was still covered in bruises and wore a loose hospital gown, but he hadn’t lost any of the spunk she remembered. She’d found him annoying when they were on opposite sides, but now she wanted to hug him.

"I want to talk to you," One-Two continued. "I used to serve Zurg—no minion was ever as loyal as me! You all remember how hard I worked to get my job on his personal staff—I would’ve done anything to be able to serve side by side with the great Evil Emperor Zurg!"

The other Grubs seemed to be looking at him with interest now. Several Brain Pods were glancing up from their hiding places too.

"But guess what I found out," said One-Two. "I learned the truth—Evil Emperor Zurg _isn’t_ great! Zurg doesn’t care about us! Zurg doesn’t deserve our loyalty! We don’t have to serve him! That isn’t our purpose in life—we should be able to do what we want! We should be free!"

Some of the other Grubs were creeping closer. One of the Brain Pods emerged from behind the giant statue of Zurg and wheeled his way towards the steps.

"This is our chance!" insisted One-Two. "We don’t have to work for Zurg ever again! We don’t have to be bullied and forced to slave our lives away! We don’t have to be killed when we mess up! We can have our own lives now!"

Mira nodded. "He’s right! Hand yourselves over and I promise your past record with Zurg will be forgotten. You’ll have a fresh start—you can be anything you choose to be, just like all your friends who defected in the past!"

She felt relief flow through her body as, one by one, the minions clambered up the steps and crowded around One-Two, offering up any weapons they’d been carrying and begging for his personal assurance they would be safe. He gave it to them, thanking each one for making the right choice.

"A good day’s work, huh?"

Mira glanced over her shoulder. Hammerhold was standing next to her. "Yeah," she agreed. "We’ve still got to work on the defense system, but that should be easy enough with Zurg’s people on our side now. Maybe we won’t even have to shoot those ships down—a nice, simple surrender would suit me just fine." She looked to the sky. _I just hope things are going as well for the Space Rangers as they are for us._

* * *

When Nebula had finally pulled himself back onto his feet, he let out a low gasp. There lay Xlgta beside him, or what was left of her. A brittle skeleton with dried skin stretched over it. Natron was kneeling over the body, looking in much better health than he had a few minutes before. Some of the bandages had ripped where the flesh had fattened across his body.

"Get away from her!" Nebula bellowed, searching for his gun. He knew Xlgta was dead, but he felt a sudden outrage at the mummy’s proximity to her. "You stinkin’ space zombie!"

Roaring with renewed vigour, Natron lunged at Nebula. The commander sidestepped him and threw himself across the floor, grabbing Xlgta’s gun. He rolled onto his back and fired, missing the mummy by inches.

"Blast!" He jumped to his feet, dodging a swipe from the mummy’s claws. Looking around, he caught sight of the evil Buzz.

The man was waving his arms at the Grubs. "I told you, take us out of here! Full speed! I don’t care about the rest of the fleet, just do it!"

_He wants to make a run for it._ Nebula aimed his gun at the man’s back. He wondered if he had it in him to pull the trigger in cold blood, especially when the man looked so much like his own Buzz.

He didn’t have to find out. The gun suddenly flew across the room, smacked out his hands by Natron. The mummy towered over him, claws raised. Nebula ducked and dashed through a pair of doors, finding himself in a corridor. He kept running. Loud footsteps echoed behind him. _Craters, the blasted thing’s following me!_

His chest was aching as he charged down hall after hall, and his heart was pounding so hard he worried it would give out on him. _Gotta get into proper shape one of these days. Maybe a little less dessert before lunch._ He forced himself to keep going and turned to the left at a split in the corridors, jumping through the first pair of doors he saw. Maybe the mummy wouldn’t know where he’d gone.

Nebula slumped against the wall, taking a moment to catch his breath and steady his pulse. He hoped he’d be able to pull himself back up again. His body ached so much.

"Pop?"

The voice startled him. For a second, the image of a spectral figure flashed through his mind, a rusting robot from his nightmares. He remembered all the taunting and the accusations, and most of all the crushing guilt. _Ugh, is that blasted teleport hitting me again with its hallucination nonsense again?_

"Pop?" the voice repeated. "Aw, wow, man, it’s really you!"

That was no ghostly voice haunting his imagination. Nebula looked up. He was in some kind of brig, and in the nearest holding cell stood a short, wonderfully familiar robot. "XL!"

"Dad!" Pure joy lit up XL’s face. "You’re alive! Whoa, wait till XR hears about this!"

Nebula glanced around. "XR? Is he here?"

"Nah, last I saw he was back on Capital Planet. But Pop, you’re supposed to be dead! How come you’re here?"

"Long story," Nebula muttered. "Lemme get you outta here."

He looked around for a door control, found one, couldn’t figure out how to work it, so he finally shrugged and blasted it with his pegleg.

The forcefield came down and XL rushed out. The little robot flung his short arms around the commander’s leg and clung to him. "I missed ya!"

Nebula scooped him up in his arms and held him. "You’re actually pleased to see me, huh, tin can?"

"You bet! Why wouldn’t I be?" XL was still smiling up at him.

_Dang it, when did you get to be so... so... nice?_ Nebula sighed and shook his head. "I dunno, I just seem to be losing a lot of friends lately."

"Not me, Pop!" There was a pause and XL looked at him curiously. "Wait, does that mean you and me are friends?"

"Huh?" Nebula frowned. "Wha— Of course we are, son." He wrapped his arms around him tighter, ignoring how uncomfortable it was to hug a heavy, rectangular robot. "‘Course we are." If XL could forgive him, maybe anyone could.

* * *

Buzz kept his gaze locked on Zurg, taking in his every move. The emperor continued to stand frozen in front of him, held by the threat of Buzz’s wrist laser.

"Well, are we going to do this all day, Lightyear?" Zurg demanded. "Make up your mind! Either you drag me off and lock me up, or you let me go, but do it quickly! My feet are starting to fall asleep!"

"He’s right," whispered Booster. "Oh, Buzz, just leave him so we can get to the bridge! We have to stop the evil Buzz!"

"No." Buzz grabbed Zurg by the arm, yanking him forward. "We’re taking him back to 42! We’ll lock him in the brig and _then_ deal with things here!"

"It might be too late by then!"

A shudder ran through the ship. Buzz stumbled, but kept his grip on Zurg. He looked around. "What was that? That wasn’t laser fire!"

"That was the engines, you lamebrain!" Zurg rolled his remaining eye. "You—or should I say the _other you_ —obviously wants to get out of here while he has the chance! His fleet is losing, and he knows the Space Rangers will get him if he sticks around!"

Buzz grasped Zurg by both shoulders and shook him. "Where’s he going?"

"How should I know? He’s you, not me! Stop that, you’re wrinkling my cape!"

"Buzz," Booster whimpered, "if he escapes, who knows what horrible things he might do!"

"He won’t escape," Buzz insisted. "We’re onboard. We’ll stop him."

Zurg snorted. "And how long before he sends a few Torque clones down here to deal with you? You think he doesn’t know you’re here?"

_Oh, he knows. I’d know if I were him._ "Nothing we can’t handle."

"Always so sure of yourself, aren’t you, Lightyear? Does it never occur to you that sometimes you’re just plain _wrong_?"

Buzz shook him again, more roughly. "I’m not gonna take this from _you_!"

"You’re sounding more and more like your dear counterpart every minute."

It took great willpower for Buzz to resist the urge to slug Zurg in the face. "Shut up!" he yelled.

"Buzz, we _have_ to do something," begged Booster. "You... you can do what you want with Zurg! I’m going to the bridge! If you won’t stop this, then I will!"

Buzz reached out for the rookie as he left. "No, Booster, you can’t!" he called. "You’ll get yourself killed!"

"And whose fault will that be?" taunted Zurg.

Turning his gaze away from the back of his rapidly departing Ranger, Buzz directed the hottest glare he could at Zurg. "I’ve had enough of you!"

"The feeling goes both ways, Lightyear!"

"I’m glad we finally see eye to eye on something—if you’ll pardon the expression!"

"That’s taking things a bit too far," Zurg hissed, reaching to touch his empty eye socket, as if still not quite comprehending the loss.

"Further than murdering hundreds of innocent civilians?"

" _They_  weren’t important!"

With a snarl, Buzz shoved Zurg down, slamming him into the hard metal floor. The emperor groaned. Buzz didn’t give him a chance to recover before he flung punch after punch at his face. The skin was surprisingly hard but Buzz kept going, experiencing a moment of triumph as his fists began to come away bloody.

Zurg let out a shrill yelp and gripped Buzz’s arms, rolling him over onto his back with a strength that surprised the Ranger. "If this is what you want then so be it, Lightyear!" His weight was crushing as he leaned over Buzz, slamming the back of his hand into his jaw.

Buzz found himself spitting out blood. Pain coursed through his whole head. There was a gash down his lip where the metal gauntlet had sliced through skin. Gasping for breath, he jabbed an elbow in Zurg’s eye socket and crawled away as the emperor shrieked and clutched at his face. He leaped to his feet. "I’m bringing you in, Zurg—dead or alive."

"I’d like to see you try!" Zurg launched himself forward, pinning Buzz against the wall. "This just hasn’t been my day, but if I get to kill you then I’ll consider myself satisfied!" He wrapped his hands around Buzz’s neck.

The claws dug in like needles. Buzz opened his mouth, desperately trying to suck in air. The pressure on his throat was agonising. His vision started to blur. "Not... today... Zurg!" he managed, stepping down hard on the emperor’s foot through the fabric of his robes. Zurg’s grip relaxed for just a second, but that second was enough. Buzz broke free and circled around him.

Zurg watched him with a look of burning hatred. "I should’ve killed you long ago," he told him.

"Your mistake." In a flash, Buzz reached for the trigger of his laser, but Zurg was faster. They clashed together, struggling and falling to the floor again. Buzz’s head hit the ground with a great deal more force than was at all comfortable.

A set of cold talons raked across the bruised skin of his cheek. Buzz yelled in pain, cursing Zurg. He could feel liquid running down his face. It trickled down to his chest, staining the green battle armour red. Zurg laughed a short, triumphant laugh and placed his hands on Buzz’s shoulders, crushing down. The pressure was excruciating. Buzz thought he heard his bones beginning to crunch. With extreme effort he drove a leg up and slammed it into Zurg’s stomach.

"Argh!" Zurg doubled over.

Sitting up, Buzz grabbed Zurg by the neck and smashed his head against the wall. The tip of his left horn cracked. The emperor growled and tried to push him away, glaring with a bloodied eye. He clawed at Buzz’s arm, sinking his talons through the tough armour of the suit. Blood welled up around his hand.

Buzz pulled back his other arm and swung a fist into Zurg’s face. He yanked himself away, feeling an angry fire running through his injured arm. He hated to think what a mess he looked. If Zurg was anything to go by, it wasn’t pretty.

Zurg jumped up and launched a sharp kick at Buzz’s ribs. The suit took some of the blow, but Buzz still gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. "Now I have you, Lightyear!" Zurg snarled, throwing himself on Buzz again. He held him down with one hand and reached for his face with the other.

"ENOUGH!"

The pair stopped their struggling and looked up. There was the president, standing over them with her hands on her hips, using her twin mouths to look twice as disapproving as most other people could.

"Just _what_ do you two think you’re doing?" she demanded.


	64. Chapter 63

The battle was progressing well. Half the enemy fleet had already been disabled, and the Raenoks had only suffered minor damage. What relieved XR most was that no cruisers had been lost—they’d arrived just in the nick of time. A few more minutes and several cruisers would’ve succumbed to the repeated bombardments.

AP-99 seemed to be having the time of his life flying the Raenok flagship, and XR couldn’t help smiling as he watched the autopilot bring the ship down for a run at a war cruiser and whoop with glee when Varg scored a direct hit. Maybe the guy wasn’t so bad after all; he’d just needed to loosen up a little.

XR turned to the Raenok seated in the main chair. He was still wary of Varg, remembering all their past history, but he was earning a new respect for him. Not many people would’ve been willing to put aside petty conflicts for the greater good.

The Raenok commander suddenly frowned. "Zurg ship—look! Dreadnought leaving! Running away like cowardly dog!"

Turning around, XR saw Varg was right. The Dreadnought had powered up its engines and was trying to make an escape, ploughing through any ships that got in its way, friend or foe. "We’ve gotta stop them!" he cried.

Varg seemed just as eager as XR, but he shook his head. "First we deal with remaining ships. Then we go after Dreadnought."

"Yeah, fine, I guess." XR folded his arms. "But Zurg’s getting away!"

"He’s got nowhere to run to," AP-99 pointed out. "If we win, the galaxy is ours again, and he won’t have his fleet anymore. Besides, his hyperdrive’s offline—he won’t get far!"

The autopilot was right, but XR still didn’t like it.

Varg’s heavy brow shot up. "Look!" he jabbed a clawed finger at the viewport. "Other ships powering down weapons!"

It was true. Several of the enemy ships, particularly those belonging to Zurg, were standing down. Some of the mercenaries seemed to be taking the hint too. "Alright!" XR punched the air. "Way to go us! They’ve realised they’re beaten!"

"I think they’ve realised their boss has left them to die," said AP-99. "I’d quit too in their shoes." He looked down at his screen. "Oh, hey, we’re being hailed!"

A thoughtful grin spread across Varg’s face and he eyed XR. "Robot want to accept surrender?"

"Wha—? Me?" XR blinked. "You mean it? Oh, yeah, you betcha!" He hesitated. "But wait, isn’t this the kind of honour an important Raenok guy like you would want for himself? What’s the deal here, Vargy?"

"Raenoks like battle. Raenoks like defeating enemies. Raenoks like watching enemies grovel," agreed Varg. "But Varg realise there is something more important."

"Yeah, what’s that?"

"Peace." Varg gestured to the comm. "Raenoks and Space Rangers work together and share victory. Pesky robot bring us here, so pesky robot accept surrender." The commander sighed. "Too much fighting lately, even for Raenok warmonger like Varg. Galaxy needs quiet now."

XR picked up the mic, looking at Varg with raised eyebrows. Peace with the Raenoks? Had _he_ of all people finally brought it about? "Heh, don’t worry, Vargy," he said with a wink, "for once you can count on this robot to give you your peace and quiet."

"If only." AP-99 rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I’m making my guarantee to the Raenoks, not to you, pal!" XR grinned. "Okay, put ‘em on."

The autopilot flicked a switch.

_Okay, big moment, gotta do this right._ "Greetings, Zurg lackeys and assorted space scum!" XR announced. "Calling to throw in the towel, eh? Just couldn’t take the heat, huh? Oh yeah! We’ve got you crushed, beat, and checkmated, baby!"

There was what sounded suspiciously like a giggle on the other end of the line. "XR? Oh, wow, XR, is that you?"

XR frowned. "Who is this? Get off the phone, kid, I wanna talk to whoever’s in charge!"

Okay, he could definitely hear giggling now. "I’m in charge, you idiot!" the girlish voice laughed. "I’m here to offer the fleet’s surrender!"

There was something familiar about the voice. XR tried to place it. "What? Who are you? C’mon, stop messing around, this is serious business, kiddo!"

A long sigh. "It’s me! Sheesh, don’t you remember? I swear, you need your memory circuits checked out some time."

"You can’t expect me to remember every thug I’ve ever arrested!" XR threw his hands in the air. "Speaking of which, you sound pretty young for a felon, how did you get mixed up in this? What are you doing in charge?"

"NOS-4-A2."

Icy dread flowed through XR’s circuits. " _What?_ What did you just say?"

"NOS-4-A2. That’s how we met. You didn’t arrest me, Ranger bot, I saved your life!"

XR’s eyes widened. "Waaaait... Savy? Savy SL2?!"

"The one and only!"

"What are _you_ doing out there?"

"Long story. I’m not actually with the main fleet, by the way—I’m on a shuttle with one of your Rangers. We’re nearby, and it’d be real nice if you could take us aboard. We can talk more then. All you need to know for now is that I spoke to the fleet and they’ve agreed to back down. They can see it’s over—our leader has abandoned us. Fighting’s just a waste of time."

XR nodded. "Okay, I’ll get the Raenoks to let you aboard. But—but Savy, what the heck? _You’re_ in charge of the fleet?"

It sounded like she was grinning. "Pretty neat, huh? Buzz and Torque are gone, and everyone else was panicking, so someone had to step up to the plate."

"Wait, what? Buzz?"

"Oops, another long story. Not your Buzz. I’ll fill you in when I get there. Savy out."

XR stared at the microphone for awhile after the transmission ended. _Just when I thought this day couldn’t get any weirder..._

* * *

Booster wasn’t as familiar with the layout of the Dreadnought as Buzz was, but he ran and ran, pretty sure he was headed the right way. He still wasn’t sure what he’d actually _do_ when he got there, though. Something heroic, he supposed, the sort of thing Buzz would do.

He wished Buzz were with him. Leaving his captain—his friend—had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. It went against his whole nature, but... but... he knew Buzz was wrong! Zurg didn’t matter anymore. They could deal with him later. The most important thing was stopping the evil Buzz from hurting anyone. They had to take control of the Dreadnought away from him! Even without a fleet, he was still extremely dangerous. Booster remembered the bodies lying in the cargo hold.

He never liked taking things into his own hands. It usually got him into some sort of trouble and Buzz would have to get him out of in the end. But for once he was sure he was right. Buzz had made the wrong call, so it was up to him to stop the evil Buzz on his own.

_I hope Commander Nebula’s okay!_ If the evil Buzz had hurt him... Booster flattened his ears and tightened his hands into fists.

He’d known this would happen. He’d warned Buzz repeatedly! Heck, Savy had even told them outright that the evil Buzz was going to take over, but Buzz had still gone ahead with the plan. Maybe he was right, and it’d been their only chance, but they should’ve done _something_ to stop the evil Buzz from gaining control!

"Whoa there! Slow down before you hurt yourself, rookie."

Booster skidded to a halt. A man stood in front of him, a tired but warm smile half hidden beneath his moustache. Beside the man was a short robot. "Commander Nebula! XL!"

"Hiya, Ranger!" greeted XL.

"Oh, guys! Boy, am I glad to see you!" He wanted to throw his arms around them, but decided there wasn’t time. "We have to get to the bridge! We’ve gotta stop the evil Buzz!"

"Where do you think we’re headed, son?" Nebula replied. "But be careful—there’s a space mummy on the loose somewhere."

"Natron?"

The commander nodded.

_So Zurg was telling the truth!_ There was a first time for everything, apparently.

* * *

The president’s arrival had left Buzz and Zurg momentarily speechless. They stared at her, still half locked in combat. Buzz was the first to move, shoving Zurg off him and getting to his feet. His whole body ached and a coppery taste tingled on his tongue. "Ma’am," he said, doing a quick salute and spinning around in the same motion to bring his laser to bear on Zurg.

The emperor rose, moaning softly, and folded his arms. "Go ahead then, Lightyear," he snorted. "Win."

Buzz looked him in the eye, hand on the trigger. It would be so _easy_ to get rid of Zurg once and for all.

"Ranger Lightyear, let me repeat myself—what are you doing?!"

He glanced over his shoulder at the president. "Taking care of Zurg, Madam President."

"You should be on the bridge!"

"So I’ve been told."

Zurg studied the president with a raised brow. "And why aren’t _you_ up there helping out, hmm? I must say, you turned tail and ran pretty fast, didn’t you?"

"I’m not armed," she retorted. "Buzz is—and come to that, you seem to be a pretty good fighter yourself! Go on up there and stop that man before more people get killed, instead of acting like little children in a schoolyard!"

"What?" Zurg’s laughter trailed off into a choking sound. "You expect _me_ to help you defeat him? My dear Madam President, all I want to do is leave! Which is apparently too much to ask of Ranger Lightbrain over here!"

"You’re not getting away this time, Zurg!" Buzz insisted. "Madam President, look here—"

She shook her head and pointed a finger at him. "No, now you listen to me, Ranger! People could be dying right now! Your own people! Are you gonna let that happen just because you’ve got it in for Zurg? Do you think that’s justice?" She turned her accusing finger on Zurg. "And you, where do you think you’re gonna go? What do you have out there? If we win this, we’ll find you eventually and then where’ll you be? You won’t get a prison cell, I’ll tell you that, baby! You’ve committed pretty much every war crime in the book, and some of them still carry the death penalty!"

"And how is helping you defeat the other Lightyear going to change any of that?" demanded Zurg.

"You never know," she said, and Buzz thought he saw her wink at Zurg. "Listen, you two," she continued, "don’t either of you have any pride? Buzz, are you gonna let some pale imitation from another universe beat you because you were too busy squabbling with Zurg? Zurg, this is the same man who defeated you in his own universe and stole that Zurg’s operation! Are you gonna let him do the same to you?"

Buzz rubbed his chin. He glanced at Zurg, and saw him looking thoughtful as well. _But I can’t let him get away! I just can’t! I have a... a duty!_

"You’re a Space Ranger!" the president continued, giving him a long, piercing stare that seemed to read his thoughts. "Your job is to protect and defend! Don’t you remember that? Protect and defend!"

The earnest voice of Ozma Furbanna came back to Buzz. "Be a Space Ranger," she’d said. That had been her parting advice. He finally understood why. With more effort than anything else had ever taken him, Buzz lowered his arm. He looked the ragged, bleeding, panting man in front of him up and down. "Do what you want, Zurg," he said at last. "I don’t care. I’ve got something more important to take care of."

A hint of suspicion crossed Zurg’s face, but he slowly edged away, still eyeing Buzz.

"Just go! Before I change my mind!"

"Or stay," said the president. "Stay and help us!"

Zurg wrinkled his features. "I’m not an idiot, Madam President. I’m doing what I should’ve done ages ago—getting out. Quitting while I’m... well, sadly not while I’m ahead, but while I’m still alive!"

"And can you live with the knowledge that you’re a failure? That everyone you ever fought beat you in the end, including Buzz Lightyear—twice over? The rest of your days are gonna be real satisfying, I bet! Some evil emperor you are, eh? The emperor who ran away!"

Buzz wondered if she’d pushed him too far. There was rage written across Zurg’s face.

Standing up straighter, wincing slightly and clutching his side, Zurg threw his head back and laughed. It wasn’t a smug chuckle or maniacal cackling. Buzz wasn’t sure what it was. "Oh, _fine_!" the emperor said when he was finished. "What do I have to lose? All I have left is my life, and it doesn’t look like that’s worth very much! Even Buzz Lightyear doesn’t want to take it anymore!"

"Then let’s _go,_ " urged the president. "We’ve wasted too much time already!"

Hardly able to comprehend what was happening, Buzz ran after the president as she hurried down the hall. Zurg was running alongside him. They were working together, Buzz realised. Somehow he and Zurg had found themselves on the same side.

"The tables keep turning today, don’t they, Lightyear?" Zurg remarked, gasping for breath.

Buzz chose not to reply. Instead, he reached into a compartment in his suit and pulled something out. It extended into a large gun. "Catch."

Reaching out as he tossed it, Zurg snatched it from the air and clutched it tightly. His remaining eye seemed to twinkle slightly with amusement. "The other Lightyear is never going to see this coming," he said.

"Nope." Buzz had to admit Zurg was right. This certainly wasn’t something _he_ could’ve foreseen.

It was a short but arduous journey. Buzz had to grit his teeth as he fought back the burning pain all over his body. The blood had dried but his face still stung, and the worst headache of his life refused to quit. A sharp pain in his chest made every movement agony. He was sure things were a whole lot worse than he imagined—the LGM doctors would have a fit if they saw him exerting himself in this condition. _There’ll be time for rest later. Time for a long, long nap in my old Star Command bunk. Business comes first._

They reached the doors to the bridge and stopped. The president looked only slightly winded, but Buzz had to double over and lean against his knees as he struggled for breath. Zurg had fallen against the wall and his chest was shuddering, its every rise and fall seeming to send fresh pain through his body.

"Out of shape, Lightyear," the president remarked quietly to him.

"See how you are after you’ve just been in the ring with Zurg."

"I already know, actually."

Buzz raised an eyebrow. He noticed for the first time that one of her mouths was swollen and caked in dried blood. There were bruises around her lower jaw. "You did this to her?" he accused Zurg.

"She just... wouldn’t shut up..." Zurg panted.

"And you still want him on our side?" Buzz asked, turning back to the president.

"He’s done his worst to me already—he doesn’t scare me anymore."

Drawing one last deep breath and trying to focus his thoughts away from the throbbing of his injuries, Buzz straightened. "Are we ready?"

"I’m not sure what I can do, but you can bet I’ll give it all I’ve got, Ranger," said the president.

"A chance to fight Buzz Lightyear?" Zurg sneered. "I’m always ready for that!"

"Not sure how to take that, but okay." Buzz put his hand on the his laser arm. "On three. One... two... three!"

When they burst through the doors, Buzz almost leaped into the air to do his trademark dramatic entrance. A jump, a somersault, and a graceful landing. Always gave the enemy a bit of a jolt. He realised just in time that his body was not up to such theatrics. Instead, he charged out and raised his laser, scanning the room for targets. What he took in sapped away all the breath from his lungs.

Pandemonium filled the bridge. Grubs were running around the floor shrieking, and their only volume increased when they saw Zurg return. The Brain Pods were nowhere in sight, presumably having enough sense to hide. Buzz didn’t care about any of them. He narrowed his eyes on the gang of Torques trying to corner Commander Nebula and XL. The pair were putting up quite a fight, but there were so many clones closing in. They couldn’t keep dodging their blasts forever.

"Quick, we’ve gotta help the commander!" he shouted, preparing to charge forward.

"Buuuzz!"

The scream filled his ears. Buzz stopped in his tracks. _Booster!_ Spinning to the left, he saw the Jo-Adian backing against a wall. Sweat glistened on Booster’s red skin. A malicious figure was advancing towards him, holding a ray gun and chuckling. Buzz didn’t need to see the purple-and-silver outfit or the blue goatee to know who it was.

Booster raised his arm and tried to fire his wrist laser, but it merely sparked and the red light fizzled out. It looked like it had been damaged in the fight. The other Buzz spread his mouth in a sadistic grin and aimed the gun at Booster’s head. He didn’t seem to have noticed Buzz’s entrance.

The scene was at once familiar. Buzz realised he’d seen it all play out before, through the device on Planet X. "No!" he hissed, remembering the outcome. "Zurg, you take care of Torque! I’ve gotta save Booster!"

Not bothering to see if Zurg was listening, he sprinted across the bridge and fired off a shot. It was a tricky thing, aiming while in motion, but he’d had decades of practice. The beam glanced off the metal wall, bouncing back and hitting the gun out of his double’s hands. It clattered across the floor.

"Lightyear!" The other Buzz’s voice held unconcealed hatred.

"Booster!" Buzz ignored him, shoving him out the way as he ran to his Ranger. "You okay?"

The biggest smile he’d ever seen was plastered across Booster’s face. "Buzz! You came!"

"Of course I did." He pulled the rookie away as his double lunged at them. "Go help Zurg! I’ll deal with our friend here."

"Roger, Buzz!" Booster saluted. "Wait, did you say Zu—"

"Just go!"

The big Ranger’s footsteps echoed loudly as he bounded away. Buzz turned to face his opponent. "So, you and me again, huh? Or should I say me and me?"

"It always comes back to this, doesn’t it, Buzz?" His double glared at him, adopting a fighting stance. "The two of us, battling it out..."

"Dr. Animus would probably say I must have a lot of internalised self-hate." Buzz circled around him.

"Animus was a quack."

Buzz frowned. "I don’t think I want to ask why you refer to him in the past tense." He’d lost count of the number of people—people he knew and often considered friends—the other Buzz had murdered in the alternate universe.

"You don’t need to ask—I’m going to show you." His double flung himself at him, throwing him to the ground. Buzz felt every inch of his body cry out in pain.

_I really should’ve thought things through before I roughed it up with Zurg earlier._ Trying to force down the nauseating agony, he managed to roll away just as his double brought a fist down. It hit the floor instead of his face, leaving a dent in the metal.

"Argh!" The other Buzz nursed his hand for a moment.

Seizing the opportunity, Buzz whipped his leg forward and slammed it into the other man’s feet. His double waved his arms wildly and toppled over with a thunk. _You used that move on_ me _the first time we fought,_ Buzz thought. Their first encounter seemed like a lifetime ago. But this time Buzz wasn’t quite as unarmed as he’d been then. Raising his wrist laser, he levelled it at his opponent. "I’ve given you a bunch of chances," he told him. "This is your last one. Surrender now!"

The other Buzz sniggered. "Oh, Lightyear, you expect me to believe you can actually kill me? I know what you’re like. You’re weak, pathetic! Zurg over there is evidence of that—I don’t know what happened, but you let him live! You could’ve done us all a favour and blasted him to hell, but you _chickened out._ "

"Or maybe I’m just not _you_."

"What a pity—for you." His double lunged forward with the speed and agility of a pouncing thrashosaur, catching Buzz off-guard.

He found himself being tackled to the floor again. He still had his laser aimed at the other man’s head, and he shut his eyes, trying to will himself to press the trigger.

"I told you you couldn’t do it!" The other Buzz yanked his arm down sharply. He placed his boot on Buzz’s wrist and stood up.

Buzz found himself screaming under the pressure. He thought he heard the cracking of bone. The world went white around him as the pain overloaded his senses. He could vaguely make out his double bending down and grabbing something from the floor.

"Say goodbye, Buzz."

A deep breath forced his vision clear. Buzz realised he was staring down the barrel of a gun.  _So this is it. This is how the pride of Star Command dies—at his own hands._ He braced himself. He was satisfied. He’d saved Booster; he’d prevented the future he’d seen from happening. Someone else would have to stop the evil Buzz, though—it was Lightyear over and out for him.

"Not today, Lightyear!"

Both Lightyears blinked and turned their heads to see who had spoken, though they already knew. The loud, echoey voice was unmistakable.

"Didn’t anyone ever tell you evil never wins?" Zurg advanced on the pair. He gestured his blaster in Buzz’s direction. "He’s spent his whole life trying to teach me that lesson. And I suppose I’m living proof that he might be right."

" _You_." The evil Buzz’s grip on his weapon tightened. He was tensing up like a snake preparing to strike.

Zurg smiled and shot him in the knee. "Lightyear might not be willing to kill you, but I have no such qualms. Perhaps evil has its advantages after all, eh?"

Yelling and cursing, the other Buzz crumpled, wrapping his hands around his leg. His gun dropped and Buzz was quick to grab it with his uninjured hand.

Zurg’s shadow fell on the pair and the other Buzz looked up, genuine fear finally conquering his features. "Prepare to die, Buzz Lightyear," Zurg told him with what sounded like a stifled chuckle, as if he’d been waiting a long time to say it.

Buzz opened his mouth to speak. He wanted to tell Zurg there was no need for any more violence. He closed it again when he realised it would be like talking to a brick wall. Collapsing against the ground, he let his chest heave up and down as he tried to recover his strength. If he concentrated hard enough, he could almost blot out the pain.

Zurg wrenched the evil Buzz forward by the collar of his suit and pulled him close, until their faces were only an inch away. The other man’s eyes were wide, frightened, darting around the room as if looking for some kind of rescue. But there was none. "You can’t kill me!" he hissed.

"Watch me." Claws trailed up his neck and Zurg grasped him tightly, slamming his head against the wall. "Curse! You! Buzz! Lightyear!" The sound was sickening as the emperor smashed the evil Buzz’s skull into the metal again and again. Blood began to splatter across the polished surface.

Red drops ran down the other Buzz’s face. He let out one last, anguished gasp and Zurg took his head in both hands and twisted it sharply. There was a snap and then he dropped to the floor.

Buzz stared at the motionless body, holding his breath as if waiting for him to rise. He’d seen his alternate self cheat death more than once before. But as the seconds ticked away and the body remained still, it became clear the man was all out of second chances.

"Is it over?" he said at last.

"Yes." Zurg’s voice was quiet. "Everything’s finally over."

Buzz rolled over and pulled himself up with a groan, forcing his eyes away from the corpse on the floor. He could see blood on Zurg’s gauntlets, and he wondered how much was his and how much was... well, also his. "You saved me, Zurg."

"Only the second time, Lightyear, so don’t think I’m making a habit out of it."

Nodding, Buzz knew Zurg hadn’t done it for him. He had done it purely because he wanted to end the other Buzz’s life. _I wonder if I’ll ever really understand the need for revenge,_ he thought, sighing. He’d come close, back in the corridor when he’d almost brought himself to shoot Zurg, but he was glad he hadn’t gone all the way. That kind of bloodlust had no place in the heart of a Ranger. _Or anyone,_ he added to himself, looking at Zurg. _What are we gonna do with you?_

His eyes moved on, roving about the room. Relief swelled through him as he saw Nebula, XL, and Booster standing together, alive and well. There were no Torque clones in sight. He wondered what had happened to the real Torque. _Come to think of it, what happened to—_

"Duck!" he yelled to Zurg.

"What?" Zurg looked around. A figure had suddenly emerged behind him from the shadows and was lunging at the emperor with a pair of ghoulish hands. An icy chill seemed to enter the room the moment Natron appeared.

"Duck!" Buzz repeated, and Zurg dropped down to the floor. Drawing up the ray gun that he found he was still holding, Buzz fired. It was a reflex action more than anything else, but his aim was flawless. The bolt hit Natron square in the chest, ripping through bandage and flesh alike.

The mummy staggered forward a few more paces, clutching at the air and making choking sounds in his throat. Then he fell limply and became another body on the floor. Like the evil Buzz, he didn’t move, but Buzz wondered if he should prod him with his foot just to make sure he was really dead. _Dead,_ he thought. _I killed him... I’ve never killed anyone before._

"It seems we’re even, Lightyear," observed Zurg, rising. He cast an unreadable glance at the mummy. "Not so undead anymore. Not so invincible either."

"No one ever lives up to the legends about them." Letting go of the gun and hearing it bang on the floor, Buzz shut his eyes. _Now_ it was truly over.

"Buzz!" When he opened his eyes, he saw Booster charging towards him. "Oh, Buzz!" The big Jo-Adian grabbed him in a pair of strong arms and hoisted him up, clutching him against his chest. "We did it!"

A relieved sound escaped Buzz’s lips. He realised it was a laugh. "So we did, Booster." He rested his head on the rookie’s shoulder. "So we did."

"Lightyear." The gruff voice was Nebula’s.

Buzz pulled himself away from Booster’s embrace and crossed the room to his commander. "Sir." Uncertainly he stood there, looking him up and down. Then he raised his injured right hand, ignoring the pain, and saluted.

"Look, Buzz," Nebula began, "I—"

"No, let me speak first, Commander," Buzz interrupted. He considered his words carefully. "We... we said some things to each other. I’m not sure about you, sir, but I regret them. You made some good points, and so did I—neither of us were a hundred percent right or wrong. Maybe we should talk it over later, but for now... well, I’m willing to let it go if you are." He held out his other hand.

"You got yourself a deal, Ranger." Beaming, Nebula took his hand and pumped it vigorously. "It’s good to see you again, son!"

Buzz nodded in return. He looked down at XL. "And what are you doing here?"

The robot shrugged. "It’s quite a story—I’ll fill you in later!"

"So what are we gonna do about Zurg?" Booster asked.

"I dunno, Booster." Turning around, Buzz’s eyebrows shot up when he realised the emperor was distinctly absent from the bridge. The president was missing too. Buzz remembered the wink she’d given Zurg. "Maybe we won’t have to do anything." He wondered how they would explain the situation to everyone else. He really shouldn’t be letting her do it, but he didn’t have the energy or the will to stop her. Who knew, maybe she was right. Perhaps they could write it up in the books as Zurg "escaping". The one that got away. He didn’t care, he just wanted to sleep for a very long time and forget all about evil emperors and bearded alternate universe doubles and space mummies. He wanted to go home.


	65. Chapter 64

They stood in the landing bay. 42 was there, the white paint not glistening quite so brightly anymore, but still looking haughty and self-righteous as ever, much like its captain. Beside it, somewhat dwarfed in comparison, was Zurg’s shuttle. Everything was ready for his departure.

"I shouldn’t be doing this," the president told him. "It’s practically treason, and more than that, you don’t deserve a single ounce of pity. You ought to rot in some hole for the rest of your life for the things you’ve done."

"Yet you’re helping me all the same."

She sighed. "You helped us—I suppose it’s a fair trade. Well, no, it isn’t, this whole mess was your fault from the start, but... look, Zurg, you let One-Two live. And you let me live, all those times you could’ve killed me and you didn’t. And I think... I think I’m a better person now than I was before. Maybe thanks to you, though this isn’t the way I would’ve wanted it to happen. So I’m returning the favour."

"Foolish," Zurg tsked, shaking his head. "Lightyear won’t approve."

"That’s why I didn’t ask him."

He couldn’t figure her out. Once she’d feared him, then she’d loathed him, and now... she was saving him? The universe still held some puzzles even he couldn’t solve. Perhaps she was simply assuaging her own guilt over the codes she’d given by offering someone else a chance at redemption. Maybe that way she could believe she’d find it as well. Whatever the case, he didn’t care. It was a way out. "Thank you," he said at last, with almost genuine gratitude. "Tell me, what are you going to do now? They’re hardly likely to allow you back in as president after this."

She shrugged. "There’s this planet I know that’s gonna be without a leader now. It’s filled with all these poor little souls who’ve never known freedom—they’re going to be very lost and afraid when the news of all this hits them. Someone’s gotta look after them." A smile started from the bottom of her face and worked up to both mouths. "I’ve got just the person in mind for an assistant too. Nice little fella, friendliest bug you’ll ever meet. I think you might know him. Together we’ll set things right."

Zurg raised a brow. "You’ll be wasting your time. They’re not worth it. They’re servants, nothing more—idiotic servants."

" _I_ think they’re worth it. I think they could be a whole lot more than what they are now if someone just gave them the chance."

"Well, your choice, I suppose." Shrugging, he turned away.

"One last thing," she called after him as he began climbing the steps to his shuttle. "Don’t you _ever_ come back. I mean it. If we see your face around here again, I’ll personally make sure you’re shot on sight and every atom of your wretched body is vaporised!"

"Point taken." He settled himself in the pilot’s seat. "Well then, this is it, Madam President. Farewell! You will give my love to Lightyear, won’t you?" With a hesitant claw, he entered in the coordinates the Xlgta had given him. _I wonder what I’ll do now,_ he thought. _They won’t be happy to see me back home, and I don’t exactly have a fleet with me to force them to be more welcoming._

Ah, well. He’d figure something out. He always did. _I started with even less once and look what I became. Who knows what the future holds._

* * *

When the message came through from the Dreadnought, informing the fleet that the vessel was now under Star Command control, a cheer had risen through the room. No one shouted louder than XR. He danced and punched the air and hugged Savy, who had come aboard with Ty Parsec a short time before. "What’s this, the People Who Have Been Personally Victimised by NOS-4-A2 club?" he’d asked when he’d seen them. It’d been a long time since he last saw Savy, but she was looking well. He’d always liked her—a smart kid, good with money, and someone who appreciated robots properly.

As he was hugging her, though, he realised she didn’t seem quite as eager to celebrate as the others. "I wonder what happened to him," she whispered, more to herself than XR.

"To who?"

She shook her head. "No one. Doesn’t matter."

Under orders from Buzz, the fleet proceeded back towards Star Command. XR had the privilege of hailing Mira to tell her what had happened. He saw nervous lines on her face when she answered the call. "Well, XR?" she asked.

He tried to look grim for a moment, but couldn’t hold it in. "We won!" he yelled, leaping into the air. "We won! We won! Mira, we won! Woohoo!"

The look on her face was beyond joy, beyond relief—it was as if all the tiredness and fear had suddenly been washed out of her. "Well done," she breathed.

When the fleet arrived in orbit of Capital Planet, XR decided it was time to say his goodbyes. He surveyed the people on the bridge, amazed that such an eclectic assortment had united together under one cause. "I’d better be going," he told them. "Gotta get back to Star Command!" He’d missed the station so much. "Thanks, Varg. I never thought I’d say this, but you’re not such a bad guy— well, that might be pushing it, but hey, in the spirit of our new friendship, I’ll be generous!"

Varg nodded. "Robot maybe good for more than scrap metal after all." The Raenok extended a hand, and XR shook it.

He then turned to the others. "AP."

"I told you, it’s AP-99. Or just 99."

"Whatever," XR dismissed him. "I wish I could say it’s been a pleasure, but Buzz has this pesky ‘lying is wrong’ attitude, so for his sake I won’t. I gotta tell you, though, you’ve been a real help—thanks for coming along for the ride!" He made finger pistols at him.

The autopilot rolled his eyes. "I didn’t have much of a choice, did I? You hijacked my boss’s ship! Speaking of which," he eyed the Raenoks, "your people have still got it. I’ll be needing it back. I just hope I’m not _too_ fired..."

"Aw, come on, admit it, AP!" XR slapped him on the back. "You had fun like the rest of us!"

"If you touch me again, I’m pressing charges against you for police brutality."

Chuckling, then pausing to wonder if the other robot was serious, XR turned around to face Savy and Ty. "You’ll probably want to come with me, so no goodbyes for you. Come on, let’s go!"

They took the shuttle and crossed the short distance to the space station. XR had never felt happier to see the bright halls of Star Command.

"XR!" A white-and-blue blur rushed forward, scooping him up. "Oh, gosh, XR!"

"Mira!" He gladly returned the hug. "Boy, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again, lemme tell ya!"

She set him down. "I can’t believe we actually did it!"

"I know!"

They burst into a fit of giggles. "It’s just so surreal," she said. "We won! This whole nightmare is finally over! Well, the worst of it, anyway. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but..."

"But for now let’s break out the champagne and put on the music!" nodded XR.

They sat on the catwalk in the launch bay awhile. Ty and Savy passed by and said hi, then left, but they didn’t go with them. Instead they talked. Mira told him how she’d retaken control of Capital Planet. Impressed, XR applauded her and then recounted his own adventures, only exaggerating them slightly. It was so good to be with her again, and to see her laughing. The years seemed to have fallen away from her face.

"Ranger Novaaa," an LGM announced, walking up to them. "Ranger XR. The Dreadnought has just arrived—you must clear the launch bay. They are sending a shuttle over."

Both XR and Mira looked at each other with wide grins. "Buzz and Booster!" they said in unison.

The LGM ushered them away, and they waited beside the terillium doors outside. "So what are we going to do about all those thugs Zurg hired?" asked XR, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

"Lock ‘em up, I guess." Mira shrugged. "They’re not gonna get off easy after the stuff they did, that’s for sure."

"And Savy? She was one of them for awhile, apparently."

"Dunno. But she’s still a minor, so we can probably work something out. Maybe a little community service. I’m sure Buzz’ll put in a good word for her."

Just as she spoke of the devil, the doors opened and who should stride in but the man himself. He looked a little worse for wear, but he stopped to stare at them for a moment and a smile broke across his face that warmed even XR’s heart. Booster was right behind him, and he too beamed at the sight of them.

XR felt an ache in his circuits. Tears welled up in his optics and his lips quivered. "I missed you!" he blurted out, embarrassed when he realised he was the first one who’d spoken.

No more words were needed. The two pairs of Rangers flung themselves at each other. Booster caught XR in a crushing hug, his eyes shut tight as he held him close, and Mira nearly bowled Buzz over as she threw her arms around his neck.

They remained together for a long moment, then switched around. Booster and Mira grinned at each other and embraced, and XR looked sheepishly at Buzz. "Aw, what the heck! Just this once!" He held out his arms and Buzz took them, pulling him into a gentle hug. XR threw in what he hoped was some manly backslapping, then promptly regretted it when he saw Buzz wince in pain. "Oops! Sorry!"

"Er, no—no problem, Ranger." Buzz let go of him and rubbed his back. "I’m just a little beat. In more ways than one. But I’ll be right as rain before you can say to infinity and beyond."

"Oh, great, I was hoping maybe all this stuff would’ve wiped that phrase from your memory." XR rolled his eyes, but he grinned.

"It—it’s so good to see you guys!" Mira was gushing. "I just... you don’t know how much I’ve been longing for this! I thought maybe we’d n–n-never, you know, never be together again! But here we are!"

Buzz nodded. "I’ve missed you two a lot."

"Me too!" agreed Booster.

"We’re gonna have a lot of catching up to do!" said XR.

"Yep. But first..." Buzz was looking at him again. A hint of a smile curved across his lips. "XR, there’s someone who’d like to see you. Two someones, actually. Come on, Team, let’s take a walk. I should probably call Ozma to make sure she’s okay..."

Confused, XR watched his team leave and wondered who it could possibly be. He saw the doors swoosh open.

"Hey, little brother!"

_XL! Of course!_ "Whoa, bro, you’re okay!" He was about to rush forward when someone else stepped through beside his brother. For a second, all XR’s motors stopped running. He couldn’t believe it. It just wasn’t possible! "P-Pop?" he whispered.

"Hey, son!" The familiar clinking of the pegleg sounded as Nebula strode in. "You alright? I hear you did good out there today."

The tears streamed down freely now, collecting at the bottom of his dome. XR sped forward. "Dad!"

* * *

Savy sat in the rec room, staring out the window. The stars were twinkling brilliantly, and space seemed to hold a serenity it hadn’t for a good few weeks. She fidgeted in her chair and kicked her legs back and forth.

She heard the echo of boots behind her. "I called your parents," said Ty. "You don’t know how good it felt to finally be able to tell them you were safe."

Something pricked at her eyes. Savy realised tears were threatening to form. "W-what did they say?" she asked.

"They could barely get the words out to thank me. I’ve never seen two robots look happier or more relieved."

_Craters, I really shouldn’t have run out on them._ She nodded. "I miss them so much..."

"We’ve got a debriefing in an hour, but after that..." Ty grinned. "What say I take you home?"

"Home? You mean Tangea, right?"

He shook his head. "Nope—with Zurg out the way, everyone’s heading back to Trade World. Your parents are gonna be waiting for you back at your old apartment."

_Oh wow, wow..._ "You mean I’m going back to Trade World?" She bounced up. "Holy pulsars, I don’t believe it! Alright!" She was going home! Back to the familiar noisy streets, the cosy little apartment, the oil-stained workshop where she fixed up old robots—back to where she belonged! "Thank you, thank you!"

An embarrassed grin crossed his face. "Aw, don’t thank me, kid, I didn’t have much to do with it."

"You saved my life."

"Well... okay, yeah, I guess I did." This thought seemed to please him. "Didn’t lead the fleet in the end, but I did save you, and I wouldn’t have it any other way."

The doors opened. Buzz—not her Buzz—walked in, looking slightly awkward when he faced the pair of them. "Hey, Ty, Savy."

Ty nodded to him. "Buzz. How’s it going? Oh man, shouldn’t you be in the med bay?"

"Heading there now. Just wanted to speak to Savy first."

"Gotcha. Well, I’d better go. Uh... see you around. Both of you." He smiled, offering Savy a small wave.

She returned it, then let her own smile fade as she looked Buzz in the eye. "So what happened?"

Buzz shrugged. "Well, Torque’s still missing—we think he got off the ship and escaped somewhere—and..."

"Yes?" She had to know.

"He’s dead, Savy." A sigh slipped from Buzz’s lips. "Zurg killed him."

Her legs suddenly feeling wobbly, Savy sat down again. "I figured..." she whispered.

Buzz knelt beside her. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine," she hissed, surprised to find herself wiping away tears. "I’m fine! Crap, I should be smarter than this!"

He patted her shoulders and she almost shoved him away, but she didn’t because she knew he was just trying to help.

"I... I know what he was like," she sniffed. "So I shouldn’t c-care at all that he’s... I mean, he was probably just as bad as freakin’ NOS-4-A2."

"Worse," she heard Buzz mutter.

"Yeah, whatever. But I—I just can’t help it." _Ugh, this is pathetic._ "He was using me, and I always knew it. He didn’t give two craters about me... but it felt good to be treated like... like I mattered. He... I guess he kind of respected me. My skills anyway. And I liked that." _Stupid reason to cry over a murderer, huh?_ She wiped her nose. "I-I’ll be fine, I know it, I just need to get back to my folks. They care... they’ve always cared. Maybe once I’m with them I’ll forget about him."

Buzz nodded, putting a hand on her back. "You don’t have to feel bad, you know. Caring about people is never a weakness, Savy."

"Even people like him?"

He shrugged. "The reason people like him are a problem is because they _don’t_ care. Remember that. You’re a good person, Savy—one of the bravest people I’ve ever met."

"Yeah, sure."

"No, really. You’ve been through a lot, and you made it out in the end. I’m proud to know you."

She realised he was holding out his hand, and Savy took it uncertainly, shaking it. "Glad to know you too, Space Ranger." Wiping a fresh tear away, she added, "So what about Ozma? Have you talked to her yet?"

Buzz nodded. "She’s just fine. In fact, she’s coming over as soon as Star Command can send a ship to pick her up. I know it’s only been a day, but it’ll be good to see her again..."

"Yeah," Savy agreed. "I like her. You keep hold of that one, mister—you’re never gonna find anyone better."

"Believe me, I know." He smiled. "Get some rest, Savy. I think we all need it."

She leaned back against the chair. "I will, Buzz."

* * *

It was good to set foot on Capital Planet again. Even the bombed-out buildings he saw couldn’t mar his joy completely. Nebula strode through the Alliance Plaza, holding a robot by each hand. He would be returning to Star Command as soon as possible—there really was no place like home, and he longed to pace the command deck again, barking orders and trying to hide from an over enthusiastic piece of office furniture that he’d been surprised to find himself missing—but he felt he needed to check in on the headquarters of the Galactic Alliance first. Crockett could handle the station for a few more hours; he’d been doing a bang-up job so far. Nebula almost felt bad that he’d have to push the Ranger out of his chair when he got back, but Rocket had assured him he’d merely been keeping it warm for him and was quite happy to return to his role as captain of Team Crockett.

_Good man, that one. Heck, all my Rangers are first-rate._ He looked down at XR. _Even this one._ Especially _this one._

Clasping his other hand, XL was jabbering excitedly about various things that had happened while Nebula had been away. In particular, he seemed proud of some device he’d built for Zurg, which the commander would’ve found slightly worrying if he hadn’t figured out by then that XL just really loved inventing impressive gizmos, regardless of who they were for.

"Sounds like you all had quite an adventure," he managed to get in during one of XL’s pauses.

"Sure did, old man!" nodded XL. "Hey, uh, listen... there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you..."

"Yeah?"

The robot shifted nervously.

"What is it?" asked XR.

"Well, ya see... I was wondering... When things have settled down a bit, d’you think maybe I could..." XL paused. "...leave Star Command?"

Nebula’s thick grey eyebrows rose up. "You wanna leave? To go where?"

"I dunno," XL shrugged. "Anywhere. I was thinking about setting up, like, my own business or somethin’. Some kind of tech thing! ‘XL’s Bomb Emporium’ or— Aw, relax, Pop, I’m kidding! But yeah, I wanna strike out on my own now. I could do it right here on Capital Planet, so we’d still see each other all the time!"

XR frowned. "You mean you don’t want to be a fax machine anymore?"

"Would _you_ wanna be a fax machine for the rest of your life?"

"Well, no, but..."

Rubbing his moustache between his fingers, Nebula stared down at the two robots. They weren’t just any robots, they were his sons—he might as well call it like it was. There was a time he never would’ve dared trust XL as even a photocopier/fax machine, let alone let him go off on his own. But XL had come a long way in proving himself since then. _And I’ve come a long way too._ XL had a point. It wasn’t fair to force him to live out the rest of his days as an office appliance. The kid had so much more inside him, so much talent... he deserved a chance to use it.

"It’s your life," Nebula shrugged. "You do what you want with it. Me and XR’ll be backing you all the way."

"You mean it, Dad?"

"‘Course I mean it. Do I look like someone who says things they don’t mean? For pete’s sake, robot, go out there and make us proud!"

"Will do, old man!" XL clapped his hands together. "Aw, yeah! Yahoo! I can’t wait to start!"

"And that goes for you too," Nebula added, turning to XR. "If you ever get tired of being a Ranger, just remember that you have a choice in the matter. You can be whatever you wanna be."

XR’s eyes widened. "Whoa, really? But, uh, the LGMs built me and all... Heck, Ranger’s what the R in my name stands for!"

Nebula nodded. "Still your choice. No one should be forced into any role that doesn’t suit them, even if they’re a robot. You gotta do what’s best for you, not just what your programmers think you should."

"Aw, gee, wow." XR grinned. "Don’t worry, Pop, I don’t plan to leave the Rangers any time soon. But thanks!"

They continued walking, following the familiar roads of Capital City as they twisted and turned. Nebula had decided to take the scenic route to the Senate. He was just so glad to be back.

In the main square he saw a towering statue of the former evil emperor being pushed down by a gang of civilians. The police were keeping a watchful eye on the group, but hadn’t tried to stop them. The statue came down with a mighty crash and split in several places, rubble scattering across the Plaza. Great clouds of dust rose up, followed by a loud cheer.

_I don’t blame ‘em,_ Nebula thought. _In their place I’d be doing the same._ He still wasn’t sure how he felt about Zurg. After everything Xlgta had shown him, he couldn’t say he quite hated him as he once had. But he’d never see in him whatever it was she’d seen—the most he could feel was a grudging pity, and perhaps some guilt for the part he’d played in shaping Zurg’s bitterness. He still held every single vile thing the emperor had ever done against him, and if he’d had his way the freak would be sitting behind bars.

Still, he was glad for Xlgta’s sake that he’d gotten away, as long as he never came back to make trouble for the Alliance again. _Ah, Xlgta,_ he thought. _I hope you can rest easy now._ They’d had an uneasy relationship, but he’d found himself respecting her in the end. Perhaps even growing fond of the old rogue, almost. He wished he could’ve stopped Natron from killing her—it wasn’t fair that she hadn’t lived to see the final victory.

He shrugged. _Maybe she’s with that empress of hers now. Who knows._

His eyes turned to the shining Senate building, and he felt a hint of pride. They’d won. It was theirs again. The pride turned to unease. _Still so much to do..._ Glancing across the steps, he saw a few LGMs rushing back and forth. With all Zurg’s minions in custody, they had to pick up the slack. Nebula remembered the time he’d spent on their world. _Yeah, a lot of work to do... Maybe it’s time we started treating some of our own citizens a little better._

They would rebuild the Alliance, he thought, gripping the hands of his two sons tighter, but it would be a better Alliance. A stronger one. They had a shot at a fresh start now.

* * *

Booster had travelled with Commander Nebula to Capital Planet, parting company with the commander and the two robots when he chose a more direct route to the Plaza while the other trio ambled along to take in the sights. When he reached the Senate, he sought out Taln. Mira had sent him with a message, and he was more than happy to deliver it. He’d missed the planet a lot.

Entering the Senate chamber, he found the room rustling with whispers like a bunzel field on a windy day. The senators were all seated together, discussing what had happened and what they were going to do now. A sense of relief hung over the room.

He found Taln up at the podium.

"Yes, young man?" the vice president asked, looking up.

"Mira sent me," Booster told him. "She says you can have your office back—the job’s all yours again. She’s stepping down as leader."

"A pity," mused the politician. "I think she may have been better at it than any of us."

Nodding, Booster left and began to cross the room, wondering where he would go next. Maybe the ice cream parlour, if it was still standing...

He stopped short when he saw Senator Hammerhold standing in a corner with Petra. He was telling her something, his head hanging low as if in shame. Wiping away tears, Petra shook her head and Booster thought he heard her say she didn’t care. The girl wrapped her arms around her father and they clung to each other.

Booster wondered if it would be a good idea to go up to Petra to say hi. He remembered the last time they’d spoken. She still considered him nothing more than a friend, and he’d... he’d still been hoping for more. He found himself blushing, ashamed now of the jealousy he’d once felt.

"Hey," he called, pulling himself together and walking up to them. "Hi, Petra, Senator. Gee, um, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it?"

Petra smiled when she saw him. "Booster! Look, Dad, it’s Ranger Booster!"

Hammerhold nodded to him. "Good to see you, Munchapper."

They both looked well. A little drained, but everyone looked that way now. Booster was glad Petra had come through the battle unscathed. He’d heard she’d made it onto Ty Parsec’s team—he was proud of her. "So, uh, how are you?" he asked.

"Oh, you know, like, totally wiped out." Petra sighed. "But not bad. We kicked butt today!"

"And you’re safe now, which is what really matters," her father added.

"Yeah." A bright smile parted her lips. "And we’re together again."

Booster wondered what to say to her. "So are you going to stay on Team Parsec now?" he asked.

"Totally!" she nodded, her pink hair shaking up and down. "And guess what—with Rusty going back to Crockett’s team, we have an opening and Captain Parsec’s agreed to let Plasma Boy join us!"

"Oh—cool! That’s great, Petra!" Booster meant it too. Seeing her looking so happy made him happy too. "I hope you have lots of awesome adventures, just like me and my team!"

"But not _too_ many, I hope," said Hammerhold. He ruffled his daughter’s hair.

She giggled. "Don’t worry, we’ll be fine."

"Well, I gotta go now," Booster told them. "But it was really great seeing you again. You and your team should hang out with us some time!"

"You got it, Boost!"

They exchanged parting smiles and Booster left, feeling properly happy for the first time in weeks. He looked around for a vidphone. He needed to call his family—he couldn’t wait to tell them the good news, if they didn’t know already. _We’re finally free!_


	66. Chapter 65

"Have we got everything?" Mira looked at the two teammates laden with parcels.

"If the weight of these is anything to go by, I’d say so," complained XR, his arms wobbling under the strain.

"Don’t worry, I checked everything myself," assured Booster. He was easily managing his own parcels.

"Come on, guys, let’s go around back!" Buzz called, leading them through the house and out to the backyard.

Summer was beginning to fade away, slowly surrendering itself to the march of time. A weak sun shone down pleasantly on the withered lawn, and a breeze blew a flurry of orange leaves past Mira’s face. She grinned. Fall really was one of her favourite times of year. She’d only been able to observe the mild Tangean seasons from a distance back home, cooped up as she was in the palace all the time, but here she could appreciate every little joy they held. The wind tickled as it teased through her hair.

"Perfect day for a barbecue, huh?" said Booster.

She nodded. "It’s beautiful."

They gathered around the table. Buzz fussed with the grill, whispering words of encouragement to it, while the other three took their seats. Opening some of the bags, Mira began sorting through the food.

"Sheesh, looks like we’ve got enough to feed an army here," observed XR.

"A Jo-Adian army of one," Mira winked. "Don’t worry, Booster, there’ll be plenty here for everyone, especially with those pies your mother sent us."

"She bakes the best bunzelberry pies!" said Booster, licking his lips. "Oh, I can’t wait!"

Mira nodded, rustling inside one of the other bags. "And in here we have..."

"Ruby’s premium grade rustolia!" XR’s face lit up when he saw the cans. "Mira, honey, you’re a real pal!"

"Just don’t drink too much of that," Buzz cautioned.

"Hey, you know me, skipper—moderation is my middle name!"

Buzz rolled his eyes.

The robot turned to Booster. "Hey, wanna help me get the badminton net set up, big guy?"

"Sure!"

Laughing together, they skipped across the grass like a pair of children and began unravelling the net. Mira couldn’t help smiling. "Don’t forget to set out the extra chairs!" she called after them.

"Okay, who took it?!"

She swivelled her head around to see what Buzz was yelling about. "Something wrong?"

"My molecular-bonded, guaranteed fireproof, oil-resistant, appropriately comical cow apron!" Buzz was rummaging around the patio. "I distinctly recall bringing it out, and now I can’t find it!"

"Oh, come on, Buzz, you’re not going to wear that old thing again, are you?" Mira giggled.

He pouted at her. "Nana bought me that apron!"

"Okay, okay, fine, I’ll help you look." Rising from her chair, she joined the search and the apron was soon located. Mira fastened the strings behind Buzz’s back and giggled again. "You hadn’t had so many barbecues when she bought it for you, huh?"

"If that’s a comment about my figure, I’ll have you know that during my last exam, the doctor said I was in peak physical shape—"

She batted him with a napkin. "Oh, come on, Buzz, I’m kidding!"

He grinned and thrust his chef’s hat down on her head, covering most of her face. "Shut up and help me cook!"

Strands of red hair had fallen into her eyes and she shoved them out the way, pushing the hat up. She could feel it threatening to slip back down again. "You got it, sir! Say, what time are the other guests arriving?"

"Should be any minute now."

* * *

Ty flew his car down a quiet country road, heading for the Hammerhold estate. The top was down and the wind whipped at his hair. He’d agreed to be the team’s designated driver, and he was on his way to pick up the first passenger. Humming to himself, he gazed out at the rolling green hills. It was a pretty place, one of the lucky regions that hadn’t been touched during Zurg’s conquest. If you looked at it long enough, you could forget that Capital City was still undergoing major reconstruction efforts.

Times were tough, but at least people were finally beginning to relax. There’d been no sign of Zurg, and things were starting to return to normal. _Okay, maybe not normal,_ Ty thought, _but... a new normal, I guess._

The recent treaty with the Raenoks was doing wonders for the Alliance. They’d started trading fusion crystals to warrior race, in exchange for food and medical supplies for the worlds still struggling in the aftermath of Zurg’s attacks, and Ty was glad he no longer had to think about all the people starving on planets like Rhizome. _They’re finally getting the help they need._ He hoped Professor Triffid was okay—maybe he’d check in on him some time.

Letting his humming drift into silence, he realised there seemed to be another whine above the noise of his engine. He glanced at the rearview mirror, but there was no one behind him. "Strange..."

"Hey, Ranger!"

"Wha—?" Ty looked up and saw a blue bike circling above his car.

"Still letting people get the drop on you, I see."

Ty slammed on the brakes. "Romac! What in the galaxy are _you_ doing here?"

With effortless grace, Romac hopped down from the bike, thudding to the ground. The vehicle hovered above, the engine still running. "Stay there, 57!" the Grounder called. "I’ll just be a moment!"

"57," noted Ty. "That’s the Brain Pod who defected and ended up travelling with you."

"Ah, you’ve been reading up on me."

"Figured I should, after our little adventure together." Ty stuck out his hand. "It’s good to see you again, Romac."

"You too, Space Ranger." Shaking his hand and slapping him on the shoulder, Romac looked around at the peaceful countryside. "What are you doing out here?"

"Picking someone up. Got a lunch to go to, so I can’t stay and chat."

Romac shrugged and folded his arms, leaning against the car. "You might find yourself a little late for that lunch."

"Oh? Why?"

"Believe it or not, I didn’t come all this way just to see your pretty face, Ranger." He jerked his head towards the bike. "Come on down, 57!"

The engine revved and the bike swooped down in a cloud of exhaust fumes. When they cleared, Ty say a Brain Pod sitting up front, clasping the handlebars, and a tied-up figure seated on the back. "Right here, boss!" the Brain pod waved.

"Look who it is, Parsec." Romac gestured to disgruntled prisoner. "It’s our old friend."

"Torque!" Throwing open the door, Ty jumped out his car and sprinted to the bike.

"Ran into him on Trade World yesterday," Romac told him. "There’s still a big reward on his head, and I’m a bounty hunter, so I figured why not bring him in?"

The thug tried to say something that sounded unpleasant, but his words were lost beneath the gag over his mouth.

"Of course, he didn’t tell me how tough it was going to be to bring him down," 57 complained to Ty. "Just look at the dents in my body! Do you know how long it’ll take to fix these? And I have a date tomorrow too!"

"An unconfirmed date," Romac pointed out.

"She said she’d call me!"

"And has she?"

"No, but—"

"She won’t."

"She might!"

Ty watched them go back and forth for a minute, chuckling quietly to himself. Then he looked at Torque again. "Well, guess I’d better him get him to Star Command ASAP. There go my lunch plans."

"You might still make it," said Romac. "It’s only a short hop to the station. I’ll come with you."

"To get your reward?" Ty laughed.

"Well, yeah, that..." Romac had the decency to look a little sheepish. "I’d love to do this kind of thing out of the goodness of my heart, but a guy’s got to earn a living somehow." He smiled. "But it’ll also be nice to do some catching up. How’s life going for you, Parsec?"

Ty shrugged. "Eh, can’t complain. Been a rough time for Star Command, but we’re getting through it. Things are starting to look up."

The Grounder’s rugged features shifted, and he looked thoughtful. "Did you ever find that girl? The one who went missing? Torque wouldn’t tell me what happened to her."

It felt so good to be able to answer the question with a nod. "Found her in the end! She’s safe—I brought her back to her parents myself. At least I can stop feeling guilty about that one now."

"Glad to hear it." Romac threw himself onto his bike, pushing the Brain Pod behind him and revving the engine.

"How about you?" Ty asked. "How’ve you been doing?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Business has been pretty good. You’ll understand if I don’t go into too many details while I’m in the presence of an officer of the law." He winked.

"You seem like a pretty decent guy at heart, so I’m going to pretend I don’t know what you’re talking about." Ty got back into his car.

57 seemed to have noticed his civilian clothes for the first time. "So where are you going for lunch, Ranger Parsec? Anywhere fun and happening?"

"You can’t join him," Romac said immediately. "The Ranger’s probably got a hot date, unlike _some_ people."

"She’ll call!"

"Actually," laughed Ty, "I’m just going to a little backyard barbecue at Buzz’s place. Nothing fancy."

Something entered Romac’s eyes—a certain light that hadn’t been there before. "Buzz, huh?" he said, still trying to sound casual.

"Yes. And yeah, a certain Tangean princess will be there too." Ty still didn’t know all the details, but he’d gleaned enough to know there had once been something between the Grounder and Ranger Nova. "Why don’t you come with me after we’re done with Torque? I’m sure Lightyear won’t mind a couple of extra mouths to feed."

"You haven’t seen 57 eat," replied Romac. "Nah, I... I don’t think it’s time. Some day, maybe, but not now. Mira’s been through too much lately—I’m just going to let her enjoy herself today. She doesn’t need me complicating things."

"Suit yourself." Ty started his engine. "Let’s go!"

* * *

Juices dripped off the sizzling meat, and sweet aromas wafted up from the grill. Buzz felt his mouth watering. _Keep it together, Ranger, no snacking before lunchtime._ With a swift, expert motion he began flipping the burgers over. Mira stood by his side and helped.

He remembered the afternoons he’d spent in the kitchen with Nana, whipping up more tastebud-tingling dishes than Booster could’ve eaten in a week. _Those were the days,_ he thought, sighing wistfully. Then he looked at his team. _But I wouldn’t trade any of this to get them back. It’s a new day now, and I’m sharing it with the best people a guy could ever know._

The doorbell rang. "I’ll get it!" offered Mira.

"No, you watch the grill. I’ll just be a second." Slipping off his oven mitts, Buzz marched through his house and opened the front door.

"Guess who!" A blue-haired girl threw her hands in the air. "Hi!"

"Hello, Buzz." Ozma smiled. "I hope we haven’t missed anything." She wasn’t in her practical work clothes for once. Her new attire was a light, flowing yellow dress that made her look almost like some kind of flower. Buzz liked it.

Savy, meanwhile, wore the same old combat boots and leather, and her hair was gelled up even spikier than usual. She squeezed past Buzz and strode into his house like it she owned the place. "Nice pad."

"Uh, hello," Buzz greeted Ozma, looking over his shoulder at Savy. "Go around the back," he called. "The team’s out there."

"Cool!" She left, stalking along with her hands in her pockets like she always did.

"Sorry I’m late." Leaning forward, Ozma brought her lips to Buzz’s cheek. "Spent awhile on Trade World when I went to pick up Savy—she wanted me to meet her family."

Buzz tried to imagine Ozma being introduced to a pair of unfamiliar, somewhat absent-minded robots. It didn’t sound like her kind of thing, but judging by the smile on her face she’d enjoyed it.

"They were nice, the SL2s," she said. "Savy’s a lucky girl. I’m glad we got to meet—there was something I wanted to discuss with them."

"Oh?"

"South Trade World has some decent colleges," Ozma told him. "A bit pricey, but I think they’d do Savy good. She showed me the repair shop she works at, Buzz, and she’s amazing—I’ve never seen anyone with so much skill. She’s wasted there. With a little more training, that girl could so much good for the robotic community she’s so fond of."

Buzz nodded. "I know, but her folks just don’t have the cash for that. If you’ve seen their apartment then you must have realised that."

"That’s why I’m paying for it."

He blinked. "What? You?"

"I’ve got a little money," shrugged Ozma. "This seems like a good cause to me."

Laughing, Buzz pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Dr. Furbanna, sometimes I think you’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever known."

"Not sure where you’re getting that idea, Lightyear, but the sentiment is appreciated." Her hands slipped up to his neck and she leaned in. Their lips met for a long moment. "Have you told anyone yet?" she asked when they broke away.

Buzz shook his head. "I’m waiting for the right time."

"Good thing I didn’t wear the ring today, then." She tilted her head. "When?"

"Soon. It’s just... well, Turner and Estrella got married last week, so I didn’t want to steal their thunder, and there’s been so much going on..."

"You’re worried it’ll change things."

"...yeah," he admitted, rubbing his neck. "My team and I, we’re like family..."

Ozma smiled. "I know, Buzz. And the last thing I want to do is break that up. Your family’s just getting a new sister-in-law, that’s all."

"I guess." He grinned. "We still haven’t figured out how this is going to work..."

"I was thinking a sort of time share—I spend a few months here, you spend a few months on Karn, and so on. We can alternate Holidays."

"Have you been talking to XR?" Seeing her blank look, he shook his head. "Never mind. Come on, let’s go join the party. Maybe I’ll make the announcement later, when everyone’s here."

He took her by the arm and was about to lead her in when there was a honk from the road. Buzz saw a strange car pull up outside his front yard.

"More guests?" Ozma asked.

"I don’t think so. You go in, I’ll see what this is about." Shutting the door behind him, Buzz walked down his driveway and stopped beside the vehicle. "Uh, can I help you?"

The tinted driver’s window rolled down. "Hello, is this the home of Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear?" Looking him up and down, the autopilot shrugged. "I suppose it would be, since you _are_ Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear."                    

"Yep, that’s me. And you are?"

"We’ve met, actually—Autopilot-99, if you’ll recall."

Buzz frowned for a moment. "Oh, of course! I remember you! Yeah, XR’s told me all about the adventures you had together. That was quite something, helping him get the Raenoks on our side."

"Yes. Thrilling. My repairs insurance decided to triple my rates after that little incident, you know, and Star Command never reimbursed a penny, but that’s not what matters. After all, saving the galaxy is its own reward, right?"

"You got that right!" said Buzz, though he wondered if perhaps there was a hint of sarcasm in the robot’s voice. "Uh, so what brings you out here? Oh, I get it—you’ve come to see XR!"

The look on the autopilot’s face could’ve soured fresh milk. "Absolutely not. As it happens, I’m just the driver here—it’s my employer who wants to speak to you."

"Your employer? Who—?"

The back window rolled down, revealing a face that needed no introduction. Buzz gasped involuntarily.

"Hey, partner." Warp flashed him his dazzling signature smirk. "Bet you thought you’d seen the last of me, huh?"

"Warp?" Two distinct feelings rushed through Buzz—the urge to reach for the wrist laser he wasn’t actually wearing, and joy at seeing his old friend again. No one had been able to find any trace of Warp during the cleanup of Zurg’s operation, and Buzz had started to fear something had happened to him.

"Love the apron, by the way," Warp remarked. "Can’t believe you still have that thing."

"What are you doing here?" Buzz folded his arms. "You’re wanted for a list of felonies longer than the left tentacle of a Garzanian goat!"

"Nice to see you too, Lightyear."

He studied his former partner. The man wasn’t wearing his red-and-purple battle armour anymore; in its place was a simple brown suit. His eyes roved over the car—it looked like an expensive model, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if it was stolen. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t call my Rangers out here and arrest you right now."

"‘Cause that’s not your style?" The smirk stuck to Warp’s face. "Come on, Buzz, let’s not play games. We’ve done enough of that to last a lifetime. I just wanna talk."

"Why?" Buzz refused to drop his guard.

"Isn’t that what friends do?"

" _Friends_ , yes. So why do _you_ want to do it?"

Clasping his chest, Warp pretended to look offended. "That wounds me, Lightyear, it really does!"

"You want to talk about wounded? You come back to me after your best friend of twenty years has betrayed you."

"Ouch, aren’t you ever gonna let that go?"

Buzz advanced towards Warp, his brow lowered in his best glare, and the other man winced.

"Okay, fine, sorry! Look," Warp sighed, "I just came here to... I dunno, to see you one last time, I guess. Heard you were having a little party and it brought me right back to those shindigs the four of us used to have in the old days. You remember—me, you, Ty, and Rocket. Your grandma would cook for us and I’d sneak the booze in."

"You never ‘snuck’ anything in, that’s just what she let you think. She always knew."

Warp chuckled. "Really? Figures. Nothing ever got past your nana, did it? She was a fun old lady—I liked her."

"She liked you too." _I guess some things did get past her after all._ "Warp, you can’t stay here. I have a bunch of guests on the way. _Space Rangers._ They’ll see you."

"I’m leaving in a second, don’t be in such a hurry to get rid of me." Leaning his elbow out the window, Warp looked towards the door. His eyes were distant. "Gotta tell you, I kind of wish I could be in there with you and your team. Always loved a party."

"I’d invite you in, but unfortunately I have a strict ‘no wanted criminals’ policy. You people tend to steal all the snacks."

Warp shrugged. "So what’s next for you, Buzz? Been a lot of upheaval lately, and you don’t have an arch enemy to fight anymore."

"Fighting Zurg wasn’t my job. My job is to protect the citizens of the galaxy, and that’s what I’m going to keep on doing." Buzz swallowed, looking into the lined face of his friend. He remembered when they’d both been young. He remembered them standing together, taking the Ranger oath. "It’s what you swore to do once, Warp."

"Yeah, well, times change."

"You could come back..."

Warp rolled his eyes. "Do you really believe that? I burned that bridge a long time ago, Lightyear. Like you said, I’m a wanted man. Star Command would never have me, and I would never have them. We had some good times, but it’s over. I’m living my own life now—maybe for the first time ever. I’m not about to give that up."

"What are you doing?" _Something illegal, or my name isn’t Buzz Lightyear._

"Oh, you know, dabbling in a little business here and there. Stocks mostly."

He raised an eyebrow. "You’re not hacking into company systems to get insider information, are you?"

Warp just grinned.

_I should arrest you right here. I should bring you in and lock you up._ Warp was no Zurg, but he was no angel either. Buzz could recall a dozen times offhand when his former partner had tried to kill him or his friends. But he could also recall a dozen times the man had made him laugh, or smile, or helped him out when he’d been in a tight spot. He wished he knew how much of that had been real.

"You ever think about flying straight, Warp?" he asked.

"Nah, not my style—no fun that way."

"This life will catch up with you in the end, you know." Buzz shook his head sadly. "If you ever want to get out before that happens, come to me—you know I’ll always be here."

Discomfort crossed his ex-partner’s face. "Eh, now you’re just getting mushy, Lightyear."

"Says the guy who came all the way here to see his old friend."

"Maybe I just came to see your cool scars. Zurg did quite a number on you, didn’t he? Glad I never made him that mad. It’s a good thing I got out when I did."

"The fact that you left him," said Buzz, "gives me hope that one day you’ll see reason."

"Whatever."

Buzz paused, words prickling the tip of his tongue. "I’m getting married, Warp," he blurted out.

"Huh?" Darkmatter looked suitably shocked. "Since when? It’s not the princess, is it? I don’t think I could stand it if you became royalty on top of everything else!"

"No, it’s not Mira."

"Who then? Someone nice?"

"She’s amazing."

"Is she hot?"

Buzz glared at Warp.

"She is, isn’t she?" Warp groaned. "I hate you. You always get all the luck."

"You can meet her for yourself if you come to the wedding."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Not exactly."

Warp grinned. "I’ll think about it. See you around, Buzz. Or not." Tapping on the back of the front seat, he whistled to the robot. "Okay, come on, driver, let’s go!"

AP-99 lowered the newspaper he’d been reading. "About time too."

The car sped away. Buzz watched it fade into the distance, then went back into the house.

* * *

Flipping a new set of burgers onto the grill, Mira found herself humming some old Tangean song that she remembered her mother singing to her when she was little girl. Her spirits were high, and soaring ever higher. She watched Booster and XR frolicking with the badminton set, then turned to Ozma and Savy laughing together at the table. _Everyone’s happy,_ she thought. It was so good to breathe easily again. The fear and stress of Zurg’s occupation still lingered in her mind, like a bad smell after the garbage was taken out, but she knew it would fade in time.

One thing she’d say for the whole ordeal, it had taught her a lot. She’d found herself relying on reserves of strength she hadn’t even known she’d had. _I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of what I did._ People were alive right now, eating and breathing and laughing, because of choices she’d made. It was humbling, in a way.

"Sorry, hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long." Buzz marched through the backdoor, looking apologetic.

"Not at all," she said. "That’s what you have backup for. I’ve been handling the cooking just fine on my own."

"Good work, Ranger." He picked up his spatula. "I’ll take it from here. You go sit down."

For once she didn’t argue. Mira dropped into an empty chair, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She was glad to get away from the heat of the grill. It felt nice to just relax for awhile.

As time wore on, more and more people showed up. First Commander Nebula and XL, then Team Parsec, then the Crockett brothers, and soon it seemed half of Star Command was gathered in Buzz’s backyard. Even Mr. Hayman seemed to suddenly appear amidst the crowd, though Mira wasn’t sure if he’d actually been on the guest list. In any case, no one had the heart to shoo him away.

She leaned back in her chair, munching a burger. In that moment it was the best thing she’d ever tasted. _I wish I could live in this day forever,_ she thought. Everything was perfect. When it was over, they’d go back to their lives, and things wouldn’t be quite so perfect, and there’d be work to do, and... and things would change. Life was changing constantly around her, in a thousand different ways. Only two months before, they’d had a similar barbecue, and that very night the status quo had been shattered forever. She couldn’t halt the passing of time or the changes that went with it.

_I wonder what I’m going to say to them._ She looked at her team. Buzz was bent over the grill, cooking up some vegetarian concoction for Ozma. Booster was chasing a group of LGMs around in a game of tag. XR was trying to down a whole can of oil in one gulp while Nebula watched disapprovingly. _Nothing stays the same in the end._ Exhausting as it had been, she’d developed a taste for the life she’d led in the Senate. There was something that filled her up and made her feel whole when she was helping people. It was why she’d become a Ranger, after all.

Reaching into her pocket, she clutched the half-scrunched letter she’d gotten from President Taln. It was one of the most surprising offers she’d ever received. _Just imagine, me as his running mate—Vice President Mira Nova._ She still hadn’t made up her mind, but her gut told her she was going to say yes.

_Not today though,_ she thought. _Today I’m just Mira Nova, Space Ranger._

There was a sharp clinking of metal against glass. "Alright, settle down, everyone." Buzz stood up. "I’m glad you could all make it here today, and I’ve got a few things I want to say..."

Mira thought she saw him glance at Ozma, and the woman seemed to smile back at him. _I wonder what that’s about,_ she thought, though she had a hunch and covered her grin.

"But first," Buzz continued, "I’d like to offer a toast." He held up his glass, and everyone else followed suit. "To all of you," he said, "and to the future!"

"To the future!"

Mira raised her own glass high in the air, ignoring the liquid sloshing out, and waved it about. "The future," she whispered.


	67. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

He’d entered in the coordinates the Xlgta had given him with extreme care, making sure to get each digit right. There was no room for error. He had to find that trans-spacial warp and get away. Zurg knew the galaxy had become to hot to hold him.

His course took him far through the stars, across distant, uninhabited systems, and into the deepest regions of known space. He was glad of the quiet; he didn’t want to run into anyone. And it gave him a chance to think over everything that had happened.

At last something came into sight, a mere speck on the screen, but it stood right at the centre of the coordinates. Zurg knew he had found his way out.

But as the object grew bigger, he realised it wasn’t any sort of interspatial rift or anomaly. It was in fact very familiar, though the last time he’d seen it, it had been in an entirely different part of the galaxy. But it was unmistakable. It was a giant snow globe.

An uninformed visitor would have been extremely surprised to see such a thing floating in the middle of space, but Zurg was anything but uninformed. "No!" He beat a fist against the helm of his shuttle, going so far as to swear—something he rarely did. "She tricked me!" Even in death, the Xlgta was finding new ways to ruin his life.

After coming so far, he realised he had no choice but to go on. Zurg flew the shuttle up to the great orb of North Polaris and waited outside one of the hatches. He knew they must have detected him. What would they do? He wasn’t exactly on good terms with the guy in charge.

To his relief, the hatch opened. Zurg landed inside one of the bays, noting it was one of the empty ones. Apparently they didn’t trust him anywhere near the presents. _As if I have nothing better to do with my time than steal some bratty child’s teddy!_ Though, come to think of it, that _had_ been about the gist of his evil plot the last time he’d visited the space station.

Getting out, Zurg wandered around the bay for awhile, tutting as time passed on. When he realised no one was coming to greet him, he found the door himself and marched through.

A chill instantly crept up his spine. _Ah, yes,_ he thought, his feet crunching as he walked. _I forgot about the snow._ He hugged his arms to his chest and shivered.

The place was a lot emptier than it had been the last time. He didn’t see any ElfGMs scurrying about, and the train stood empty in its station. Maybe he’d caught them during naptime. Zurg looked around the town. It, at least, hadn’t changed. _Still as tacky as ever,_ he sneered, cringing at the bright strings of lights adorning all the quaint little cottages. It was like something out of one of those generic Holiday cards his legal firm sent him every year.

Cold, white powder collected on his clothes as he walked, doing nothing to improve his mood. If the Xlgta hadn’t already been dead, he would have sworn an oath right then to murder her.

After much traipsing through snowdrifts, he finally came to the workshop. Zurg brushed himself clean of snow and took a deep breath before shoving his way through the front door.

"Ah, there you are." Santa Claus was reclining in a comfy armchair, sipping a mug of cocoa that looked tantalisingly warm and inviting. There were no ElfGMs to be seen and the machinery was quiet for once. An empty armchair was beside him, and a table stood between them, holding an extra mug and a jug. "I was wondering when you’d get here."

"Listen here, you home-invading cookie thief," Zurg growled, breaking an icicle off one of his horns, "I demand to know what the meaning of this is! Were you and the Xlgta in on it together? Is this your idea of a joke?!"

"I don’t do jokes. That whole jolly thing is a myth, you know. No idea who came up with it. It’s completely ruined my image."

Zurg stomped towards him. "I was given the coordinates to this place by someone," he said. "A woman. The Xlgta. Know anything about her, dear Saint Nick?"

"Just Nick will do." Santa set down his empty mug and refilled it. "Cocoa?"

"No thanks." Cold as he was, Zurg wasn’t ready to accept anything from him.

Nick took a swig from his cup. "Now, Xlgta, Xlgta... I may have met someone by that title. Charming woman, we really enjoyed having her here. We don’t get many visitors."

"Probably because no one knows you exist."

"Yes, that is a problem," Nick agreed. "Still, no annoying door-to-door salesmen at least! Or carollers! I hate carollers."

Zurg clenched his fists. "What is the point of all this?" he demanded. "Why did the Xlgta send me here?"

"We made a deal." Nick sighed. "As a last resort, if there was no other way she could help you, she would send you to me."

"So she hated me right up to the end, did she?"

"Is that what you think?" He looked sad. "You really believe that poor woman hated you?"

Zurg shrugged. "I hated her."

"That’s different. You hate everyone."

"Including you."

Nick smirked. "Most people on the Naughty List do. It’s your own fault you keep getting coal, you know."

"Cut the games, chimney man. I want to know why the Xlgta sent me here." Zurg crossed his arms.

"She wanted me to help you."

"How, exactly?"

Nick gestured to the armchair beside him. "Come, sit."

"I’d rather stand, thank you." With great difficulty, Zurg managed to ignore the aching in his body that had been brought on by his recent scuffles with the two Lightyears and had been worsened by the cold. He was certain he looked a mess, especially considering the tattered state his robes were in and the missing eye, but he still tried to maintain his dignity.

The fat old man shook his head. "Stubborn as always. I remember when you were just a little tyke, no taller than one of my ElfGMs, and you threw that tantrum because your mother wouldn’t give you any candy. Oh, you stamped your foot and yelled till the whole planet must have heard you! Eventually your poor old mother couldn’t stand it anymore and gave in. I knew right then that you’d grow up to be trouble, yes sir."

"Is there a point to all this?" Zurg remembered the incident too. It was one of many such occurrences—he’d always been good at getting his own way, even as a child.

"I was just wondering if such... talents... might be put to better use."

Zurg snorted. "As what? Your new elf slave driver? Tempting, but I think I’ll have to pass. I’m allergic to tinsel, and plum pudding gives me indigestion."

"I didn’t mean anything like that at all and you know it." Putting down his mug, Nick wiped a few stray drops of cocoa from his white beard. "You still have that device aboard your ship, don’t you? The one you were going to use to get home?"

"Yes." An idea suddenly came to Zurg. Even if the Xlgta’s coordinates had been useless, he might still be able to get home.

Nick shook his head, as if reading his thoughts. "It won’t work—not the way you want it to. The process will be entirely random. Who knows where you could end up."

_Well, there goes that plan._ "Anywhere’s better than here," he muttered.

The old man leaned forward. "What if I could stabilise the rift for you? I could send you anywhere in the universe you wanted to go..."

_Now we’re talking._ "And in return?"

"Oh, shush, I’m Santa! I never ask for anything in return! Well..." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "You don’t have any milk and cookies on you, do you?"

"How foolish of me, I never thought to bring any." Zurg rolled his eye. _I shouldn’t do that,_ he thought, reaching up to touch his face. His remaining eye was still swollen from the blows to his face, and the missing one continued to plague him with pain. He wondered how long it would take him to recover. Even once the wounds healed, he would never be quite the same again. He felt a strange shame every time he saw his reflection and was reminded of what he’d lost.

"We should patch you up first, of course." Was that sympathy in the old man’s voice? "You look worse than one of my teddies after the family dog’s been at it on Holiday morning."

Zurg waved a hand. "There’s time enough for that later. Just tell me, _Santa_ ," he said the name with scorn, "will you really send me back to my own galaxy?"

Nick nodded. "If that’s what you want. Consider it your gift, a few months early this year."

"I thought I was on the Naughty List."

"Do you know what the price of coal is these days?" There it was, the famous belly laugh. So much for not being jolly. Zurg frowned—he hated jolly people. "This is much cheaper," said Nick, "and I think it’ll suit everyone!"

"Fine, good, dandy. Just tell me when I get to leave."

Nick’s eyes twinkled. "Ah, but I have another option for you to consider first."

_Oh, brilliant, what now?_ Zurg finally allowed himself to sink into the armchair. It was warm and comforting, bliss to his stiff body. "Yes?"

"You _could_ go back to your own galaxy," said Nick, "or you could go to this _other_ galaxy I know. Nice place, you know, it really is—though I don’t care much for the folks in charge. They’ve been oppressing the populace for years."

"Sounds like a marvellous vacation destination." Zurg resisted the urge to roll his eye yet again.

"There’s no need for sarcasm, I’m being serious here." Nick blew on his hands to warm them. "What the people there need is a good, strong leader to unite them together against these ruffians. So far no one’s sprung up, and I’m beginning to worry no one ever will. That’s what happens when people live in servitude too long—they get used to it. The thought of change seems frightening. They need a fresh face to bring new life into their resistance movement."

"Fascinating, but what’s all this got to do with me?"

A smile played over the other man’s lips. "You seem like just such a person, unless I’m very much mistaken, and Santa never is."                             

Zurg realised he was staring at Nick in shock. "You... you want _me_ to go over to some strange galaxy and... join an _uprising_?"

"Only if you want to." Nick shrugged. "It’s your choice."

"You need your workshop cleaned out if you think I’d ever _want_ something like that!"

"Mm." Nick tugged at his beard. "Maybe. Tell me, Zurg, what are you going to do when you get back to your galaxy?"

With a finger poised in midair as he prepared to offer some crushing response, Zurg suddenly realised he really didn’t have the slightest idea. "I’ll... I’ll..."

"Plot and scheme and try to get revenge? Take control of the planet? The usual?" Nick looked disappointed. "Even I could come up with something better than that! I thought you had more originality, Zurg."

Much as he hated to admit it, Nick had a point. Zurg had already tried that whole routine and it had failed. But he couldn’t see any alternative. "It’s better than playing hero with a band of strangers," he said at last.

"Oh, but I haven’t even told you the best part! These oppressors I was talking about—guess who they are?"

"I haven’t the foggiest. I don’t meet a lot of people from outside the galaxy. Yes, I know, I know, I should get out more, but you know how it is..."

"The Heed."

Zurg’s mocking smile dropped. "What?"

"The nasty killjoys oppressing this other galaxy are the Heed. You had a run-in with them once, didn’t you?"

Zurg suppressed a cringe. "Can’t say I cared for them much." _Stupid-looking people with oversized heads and an irritating song that I still can’t get out of my mind._ He didn’t like anyone who interfered with his Grubs, and he liked people who went about proclaiming peace to the galaxy even less. The fact that it was all a ruse only made it worse. At least _he_ was honest about his evil intentions.

"Here’s your chance to teach them a lesson." Nick looked slightly sheepish. "I really shouldn’t be doing this, you know, interfering... I swore I wouldn’t. But it’s not really interfering, I suppose, just nudging things a little..."

"And you’d like to nudge me into this new galaxy?"

"If you’re willing."

Zurg shook his head. "I don’t see what I’d get out of it, other than some petty revenge, perhaps."

"Well, that’s all you’d get in your own galaxy, Mr. Naughty List." The old man looked straight at him. "In this place you’d have a cause—something to really fight for! Because that’s what you need, isn’t it, Zurg? It’s not the winning you love, it’s the struggle! The uphill climb against adversity! That’s what makes you feel alive!"

It alarmed him that Nick knew him so well. Zurg was only just figuring these things out for himself. "Perhaps," he admitted.

"It’s your choice," Nick repeated, standing up. "I’ll leave you to think it over." The pompom on his hat bounced up and down as he ambled away.

Now left to his own devices, Zurg picked up the jug and poured himself some hot cocoa. It warmed his insides deliciously. "Hmm," he mused out loud, "what to do?" His life had been turned upside-down so many times, and never before had he had a choice in the matter. Now that he did, he didn’t know what to do with it. He wished Nick hadn’t made so much blasted _sense._ Then it would’ve been easy.

He tried to conjure up some enthusiasm for his old galaxy, but found it more difficult than he’d expected. _Been there, done that._ He was tired of the past. It had haunted him his whole life. _Maybe it’s time for something new._

He wondered what choice Buzz Lightyear would’ve made in his place. The answer was immediately obvious—the right one. That was why Buzz always won in the end. That was why he hated him.

Zurg’s one remaining eye followed the streams of light that were coming through one of the workshop’s windows. Apparently the station was switching over from nightmode to day. He watched the darkness fade away and the artificial sunlight replace it, glistening off the pure snow. The snow sparkled like millions of gems crushed together into powder. ElfGMs began to emerge, going about their business and setting the machinery in motion. Noise filled the workshop.

_A new day_ , Zurg thought, his mind suddenly made up. _Yes, a new day..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, four years exactly since I started it, this fic is finally finished! It's definitely been a fun ride for me. This show has meant so much to me over the years, so this is my tribute to it. Thanks so much for all the comments! I've greatly appreciated every single one.
> 
> It's weird to think this show has been part of my life for over sixteen years, and even weirder to think what a huge impact it's had on me. In 2011, after a long period of not thinking about it much, I looked up the show out of nostalgia, and now here I am, five and a half years later, planning a trip this May to the United States to visit someone I met through the fandom. In fact, all my best friends I met either directly or indirectly because of BLoSC. It's changed my life for the better in countless ways.
> 
> So here's to Buzz, Mira, Booster, XR, and especially a certain evil emperor who deserved to suffer far more than my fondness for him would permit. Thanks for everything!


End file.
